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BCSO, courts spar over security at the state's busiest courthouse
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A dispute over security at the Bernalillo County Courthouse spilled into public view Monday when sheriff鈥檚 officials denied an allegation by court officials that the agency has scaled back court-related staffing.
Bernalillo County Sheriff John Allen鈥檚 office denied it had trimmed staffing levels at the courthouse even as the court abbreviated its hours of operation claiming security concerns.
鈥淐ontrary to the narrative presented (by the state judiciary), there has been no lapse in safety or reduction in service to the Second Judicial District Court,鈥� the Bernalillo County Sheriff鈥檚 Office said in a statement Monday.
BCSO also refuted the claims by court officials that deputies have responded to 5,867 calls for service at court facilities so far this year.
Of those calls for service, more than 60% were 鈥減roactive perimeter or floor checks 鈥� standard, low-risk safety sweeps鈥� rather than responses to incidents, BCSO said.
But the BCSO statement also acknowledged that the overtime cost for court security 鈥渨as a key factor in our decision to restructure staffing for greater efficiency鈥� at the courts.
The Administrative Office of the Courts issued a statement Sunday afternoon announcing plans to limit the number of people entering the Bernalillo County Courthouse in response to what it described as security concerns and BCSO staffing cuts.
鈥淭he safety and well-being of people required to go to court cannot be compromised,鈥� Supreme Court Chief Justice David K. Thomson said in the AOC statement.
Sarah Jacobs, AOC deputy director, said Monday that court personnel were 鈥渟hocked鈥� by BCSO鈥檚 announcement July 10 that the agency planned to cut security staff 鈥渂y one-third to one-half鈥� beginning on Monday.
The state judiciary needs more security staff, not less, Jacobs said.
鈥淎 reduction in (security staff) is unacceptable to us,鈥� Jacobs said. The judiciary is negotiating with BCSO seeking a full restoration of security staff, she said.
鈥淎n agreement for us would, at a minimum, look like returning to the status quo in terms of the deputies,鈥� Jacobs said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 the immediate goal.鈥�
The Bernalillo County Courthouse at Fourth and Roma NW curtailed hours of several clerk鈥檚 offices on Monday. Clerks sat at information desks in the lobby informing people about the new hours of operation.
For example, the main court clerk鈥檚 office was open only from 1-4 p.m. Monday. Typically the clerk鈥檚 office is open from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
In addition, civil, family and children鈥檚 court hearings in the 2nd Judicial District Court were conducted remotely rather than in person.
鈥淲e anticipate the adjusted operations continuing at least through the end of next week鈥� unless an earlier agreement is reached with BCSO, Jacobs said.
Otherwise, the courthouse appeared to operate largely as usual on Monday, with sheriff鈥檚 deputies screening people at the front entrance and running personal belongings through an X-ray machine. Bernalillo County deputies continued to be a familiar sight in hallways and courtrooms and providing security during criminal trials.
Judicial officials cited two recent examples of security incidents at the Bernalillo County Courthouse as evidence that a robust security staff is needed.
Chaos erupted in a 2nd Judicial District courtroom in January when the family of a murder victim attacked the accused killer, resulting in a melee that injured a corrections officer.
And last week, members of the district attorney鈥檚 office were 鈥渧erbally accosted and confronted鈥� near a courthouse parking lot following a hearing, AOC said in a statement.
Bernalillo County owns the Bernalillo County Courthouse and state law requires counties to provide security at each of the state鈥檚 13 judicial districts, Jacobs said.
BCSO contends the 鈥渟tatus quo is unsustainable鈥� and requires a broader conversation about how court security is provided and funded.
鈥淭his is yet another example of an unfunded state mandate placed on counties across New Mexico, forcing local law enforcement agencies to fulfill obligations without the resources, infrastructure, or support necessary to sustain them,鈥� BCSO said in the statement.
BCSO this year has paid nearly $900,000 in overtime for court-related staffing, the statement said. Court-related overtime cost the county over $1 million a year in 2023 and 2024.
BCSO disputes that the agency is skimping on security at 2nd Judicial District Court facilities.
BCSO said that on Monday it had nine 鈥渃ourt security specialists鈥� assigned to the Bernalillo County Courthouse and the Public Safety Center at Fourth and Roma NW, which handles probation and specialty courts. BSCO had five additional deputies at the Children鈥檚鈥� Court at 5100 Second NW.
鈥淭hese numbers reflect the full staffing of Court Security Specialists currently employed by Bernalillo County,鈥� the statement said. 鈥淚n addition, non-sworn BCSO personnel assist with entry screening, allowing sworn deputies to be strategically placed throughout the facilities.鈥�
AOC spokesman Barry Massey responded Monday that BCSO said in its July 10 statement that it planned to cap the number of deputies at 14 at the court鈥檚 three locations, 鈥渨hich is below past staffing levels鈥� at the three sites.
鈥淏y any measure, security staffing at the Second Judicial District Court remains inadequate for the state鈥檚 busiest district court,鈥� Massey said. 鈥淐ourt hearings often are emotionally charged and contentious. Underestimating the court鈥檚 security needs can lead to serious harm or tragedy.鈥�
