We do not utilize any security system or have a uniformed officer present during court.
Yet, the Village court has a Village Police officer present during it's night court. The village has also appointed Brad Millett as Bailiff. By definition, a Bailiff is a court attendant whose actual duties vary according to jurisdiction and judge but often include maintaining order in the courtroom. The Town has made no appointments for a bailiff.
Evidently the Village is taking a more pro-active rather than a re-active approach to the safety and security everyone in the court room. According to one Village Trustee, We are not immune to tragedies just because we are a small village.
So what is the difference between the Village and Town Courts? Actually there are no differences. What they do have in common is they are a duplication of service. The Town is a no frills efficiently run court room. The Village court is glitzy as it is adorned with new furniture and judge robes and more recently the addition of the armed uniformed village police officer.
WAIT, there is something in common between the Town and Village Courts. The elected Honorable Sherry Pennington presides over both courts. Yet, the Town Court does not utilize any security system or have a uniformed officer present during court. Nor do they have any plans to. If court room security is an issue in the Village Court, wouldn't the same issues be present at the Town Courts? After all, it is the same Judge presiding over the same courts!
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| Hope I never have to go to Village Court |
