When people think of the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO), patrol might be the first thing that springs to mind – deputies in their marked Tahoes keeping your community safe. However, there are two other major components to the PCSO: the jail, and court security. Hopefully you’ll never be in the back of a cruiser or in jail, but almost everyone will eventually pass through one of the courthouses in the county, even if it is just for jury duty. Largest of these courthouses, centrally located on 49th Street, is the Pinellas County Justice Center. The South County Traffic Court has closed, and the North County Traffic Court will soon follow suit, consolidating all traffic cases from citations to DUIs at the Pinellas County Justice Center. Beyond that, visitors will notice some big changes with recently completed renovations designed to make everything safer and more efficient.

“The main entrance was the first to open with the new construction,” Sergeant James Campbell said. “There are three lanes – up from two – as well as a supervisor’s station, which makes everything more efficient for the deputies and for the public visiting the courthouse.” There are a number of safety upgrades too, including improved security cameras.

Mornings can get crowded at the courthouse entrance, with an influx of hundreds reporting for jury duty or for court cases. On the busiest days, Sergeant Campbell said, lines have stretched past the first parking lot. The new entrance is particularly good when it's raining, because it fits more people and moves them more quickly. Outside, large overhangs provide additional shelter from the elements. As the people queue up deputies walk along the line, explaining procedures so the line moves along: laptops out, all drinks must be factory sealed. Some of the visitors quickly chug their open water bottles, but fortunately the renovations include additional bathrooms too.

“Following the Florida Supreme Court’s recommendations to better serve family courts, the Sixth Judicial Circuit put together a plan for the Unified Family Courts to better serve the community,” said Captain Dwayne Somers. That plan includes a brand new Annex Building that houses family court for the entire county. On a recent Friday at the newly opened Unified Family Court annex the halls were loud with the squeals and laughter of jubilant children and happy families – it was adoption day, and the kids were permanently and legally becoming part of their new lifelong families. 

“The Unified Family Courts is made up of four judges, two magistrates, a behavioral evaluations program, and a juvenile arbitration program,” Captain Somers said. “All juvenile delinquency cases are heard in the Unified Family Court, as well as all dependency cases, all adoptions of minors other than stepparent or relative adoptions, all termination of parental rights, and more.” 

The design of this new area reflects the needs of the children and families who will be using it. “The unique part about this building is that it is more sensitive to families and juveniles, with family rooms and breakout rooms,” said Sergeant Campbell. The courtrooms are set up so that different parties such as social workers, case managers, or guardians ad litem can better collaborate with the judge. Outside of the courtroom, some seating is arranged in nooks to offer privacy and a sense of security for kids who might be nervous about being at the courthouse. There’s a children’s testifying area so kids don’t have to testify in public. A private room accommodates nursing mothers in comfort. There’s even a play area, bright with natural light and full of toys to distract even the fussiest child. Going to court can be intimidating enough for an adult – for a child it can be overwhelming. But this design does everything possible to mitigate the stress for kids and families. “It’s designed to be more friendly for the children, not as scary.”

If you hold a Florida driver’s license or state ID you’ve probably been summoned for jury duty. The renovated jury assembly room helps make that a more pleasant experience as citizens play their part in the machinery of the justice system. The area now seats 450 people, up from 260 before the upgrade, and includes a jury assembly lounge where people can sip coffee and work at their laptops while they wait for their number to be called for service or dismissal.

Another place that most citizens eventually visit for one reason or another, the Clerk of the Court’s office, has also been revamped to increase comfort and efficiency, with a new customer service lobby and a seated waiting area. Until recently there were service windows in the hallways and citizens had to stand in line. The new set-up is much more pleasant. In inclement weather visitors will appreciate the new three-story parking garage for visitors and employees that includes a covered walkway.

Deputies, civilians, and volunteers with the PCSO work together with judges and courthouse staff to keep the wheels of justice turning. From the moment anyone enters the courthouse, whether by the front door or via the tunnel that leads from the jail (see next story) PCSO personnel are making sure that everyone’s courthouse experience is as pleasant and safe as possible.

On this episode you’ll meet Analyst Supervisor Jacqueline Danzig whose team works hand in hand with deputies and detectives to get them the information they need to solve - and even prevent - crimes. We talk about her background, her work with some of our proactive components like Threat Management, and the future of law enforcement analysts.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO EPISODE #4

Of the 3,000 or so inmates housed at the Pinellas County Jail on any given day, the majority have not been sentenced yet. Whether they are newly arrested, not bonded out, or are ineligible for bond, many of the inmates are actively involved in court proceedings. Despite the close proximity, transporting inmates from the jail to the courthouse is a logistical challenge. Deputies with the Detention Court Squad make sure that each inmate is moved efficiently and safely so that they can have their day in court.

Before the inmates arrive at the courthouse, the area where they’ll wait is thoroughly searched. “At night, Criminal Justice Specialists escort a cleaning crew into the holding cells,” said Corporal Anthony Bell. “We have to make sure they didn’t accidentally leave anything behind.” Inmates can’t be allowed access to anything that could be used as a weapon or to aid escape, and even a discarded squeegee could prove deadly in the wrong hands. “We use big mirrors to search under the benches.”

Inmates scheduled for a court appearance have breakfast at 4:30 a.m. before they are escorted through the Tunnel, a long secure corridor that leads from the jail to the courthouse. The inmates travel in groups of up to fifty with three deputies. The Tunnel is under constant video monitoring from both the jail and the court side, but it is rare that there are any issues on the way to court. While fights may break out in the jail, Corporal Bell said the attitude in court tends to be different. In jail, inmates might be sitting in their cell for 23 hours a day, bored, with time on their hands to look for trouble. On the way to court, though, they have purpose. “They’re trying to wrap things up. They want to get their case taken care of, get this behind them.” Despite the high inmate-to-deputy ratio, deputies don’t feel in danger. Overwhelmingly, fights on the jail side are usually between inmates, not attacks on staff. “It’s like anywhere in the jail. You know these people. If you treat them fairly they’re not going to let anything happen.” Corrections deputies know that when they give respect, they get respect in return.

The morning group is situated in the holding cells, with women and men separated, and all juvenile inmates kept out of contact or eyesight of adults. When they are called into court they ride an elevator to the designated courtroom. Deputies usually don’t accompany them in the elevator because the inmates inside have no control over where the elevator stops – they are controlled remotely, and like every area of both the jail and the courthouse, under constant video monitoring. They’re met by other deputies who escort them to their proper place in the courtroom.

When an inmate is finished in court they get a ticket and a ride back to the holding cell where they can enjoy juice and a sandwich while they wait for the morning’s docket to be finished. Then after another pat search its back through the Tunnel, and the process repeats for the afternoon session.

There are some exceptions to the regular procedures. Red Dot inmates – those with a demonstrated history of attacks on staff or other inmates – move in shackles and handcuffs at all times, escorted by two deputies. They, and inmates designated as suicide risk or needing close observation, don’t walk through the Tunnel but instead travel by van the short distance from jail to court. Sometimes people enter the courthouse by the front door but after their day in court find they aren’t allowed to leave the way they came in. After a conviction, a sentenced inmate who had bonded out before their trial is transported to the jail by van and brought through Intake the same way any newly arrested citizen is.

Few people realize the intricacies of a court deputy’s responsibilities. Court security is a complex undertaking and involves much more than guarding an inmate. From the initial screening of every visitor to keeping order during a trial to making sure disgruntled opposing parties don’t fight afterward in the parking lot, PCSO’s court deputies ensure a smooth and safe process for all criminal, civil, family, and traffic courts.