Tennessee Courthouses See Security Boost Thanks to New Funding

Courthouses in Tennessee will receive funding to increase security.

• By Sydny Shepard
• Dec 17, 2018

The Tennessee General Assembly has appropriated $2 million in funding for security grants in an effort to create implement more effective security at courthouses throughout the state. Last year, similar grants led to significant security upgrades in 66 counties.

While the grant money could go to a wide range of security staffing and technology, perhaps the most common item that the Tennessee courthouses are spending the money on is surveillance equipment and cameras. The trend in updating surveillance systems comes as many courthouses modernize their security. 

"Just as all Tennesseans should feel confident in the protection accorded to them by the rule of the law, so, too, should anyone working or appearing in a Tennessee courthouse feel confident that they are operating in a safe and secure space," Administrative Office of the Courts Director Deborah Taylor Tate said. "These grants demonstrate just how dedicated Tennessee's elected officials are to making top-notch security a given at courthouses across the state."

The announcement for additional funding comes on the heels of a newly adopted minimum courtroom security standard that promotes the security and safety of members of the judiciary, court personnel and the public. The standards were due an update, as the last time they'd been changed was in the 1990's.