County considers $402K in security recommendations

NEW BOSTON, Texas — Bowie County officials have started working on next fiscal year’s budget, which may include a combined total of more than $402,000 in overall courthouse security recommendations.

Last week, the Bowie County Sheriff’s Office presented three separate courthouse security-related budgets to the Commissioners Court, which included slightly more than $177,000 in salaries and benefits for three courthouse security staff positions already being supplied by the office, in addition to another possible $100,000 needed for courthouse interior-security camera improvements as well as $125,000 more for exterior security fencing for the courthouse’s south parking lot.

Regarding three security personnel positions, this category is actually already in place and has been since about 201,5 when the county re-implemented security measures it initially set up between 2001 and 2011 owing to the 9/11 terrorist attack.

During the last five years, the sheriff’s office has had two deputies and a sergeant manning a visitor security screening station at the courthouse’s front entrance.

However, in addition to having security personnel at the checkpoint, Bowie County Chief Deputy and Sheriff-elect Jeff Neal told commissioners during their annual budget hearings last week that

the Shreveport-based Jett Business Systems firm estimated that replacing the courthouse’s current camera system would cost about $92,242, according to county budget hearing documents. This price would include a cost of about $62,442 for equipment purchase and $29,800 for installation.

“We’ve needed to upgrade our courthouse security camera system because as many as half of our security cameras don’t work properly,” Neal said. “I believe we should budget $100,000 for this project, which will needs to go out for bid.”

Finally, while there haven’t yet been any dangerous incidents reported, Neal said there has been some talk and suggestions and recommendations, just as precautionary measures, to secure a sizable part of the parking lot area.

Neal told commissioners that the estimated costs to secure a part of the courthouse’s south parking lot with fencing is close to $70,000 for a six-foot high chain link fence or about $84,000 for an eight-foot high fence, according to figures supplied by the Texarkana, Texas-based Richardson Fence & Patio company.

“This is just the price of the fencing with privacy slats,” Neal stated in his documents for the court. He added that he wasn’t able to get an estimate for fencing equipped with gate-activated card reading systems which would allow secure access for parking lot users.

Should county officials decide fund the proposed fencing project, Neal estimated the total cost possibly reaching the $125,000 range.

The Commissioners Court is still studying the proposals.