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  County Courthouse security goes Hi-Tech web posted September 3, 2009 Below: Officer Coats and Clerk of Court Newby put the xray to work  EDGEFIELD – Security
at the Edgefield
County Courthouse is going Hi-Tech with an x-ray machine to search
pocketbooks, backpacks, and briefcases. The new $17,000 machine was put
into use this week and takes all the guesswork out of searching
personal items Clerk of Court Shirley Newby said. “I think it’s great,
it definitely improves our level of security.”Mrs. Newby and Security Officer James Coats put the machine through it paces on Wednesday to show how seeing through bulky items is as simple as pushing a button. Mrs. Newby placed her pocketbook on the conveyer belt that rolled into the x-ray portion of the machine and a monitor showed everything that contained metal on the screen.  “You can see
everything,” Mrs. Newby said as she pointed out items such
as change, keys, and even her cell phone that were clearly visible
without having to physically search the pocketbook. (Left)Officer Coats said women are often offended when he and other officers ask them to open their handbags. “Why do you want to look in there,” Officer Coats said was a reply he gets often. “I tell them because I have to as part of my job.” However, the new x-ray machine takes that uncomfortable situation out of the equation since most people have no problem placing pocketbooks, backpacks, briefcases, and the like into a machine. “We can even scan laptops (computers),” Officer Coats said. Spotting keys, change, and a cell phone is easy enough, but what about finding an actual weapon that is hidden in an attempt to get it inside the courthouse. To test this, a pocketknife was hidden inside of a thick binder full of paper with another booklet.  As the binder passed
through the x-ray field, the knife was found and
was displayed in perfect detail on the screen. “If it’s in there you’ll
see it,” Officer Coats said.Mrs. Newby said the funds used to purchase the machine came from a $7,000 grant and funds provided by the Family Court to improve security to the court. Walkthrough metal detectors were put in place at the courthouse last year. Panic buttons to offices were also installed that dial into the 911 system to alert authorities of trouble. Plans to install security cameras have been discussed for future measures to secure the courthouse. © Copyright 2009
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