Fulltime court screening for Auckland District Court

Minister for Courts Georgina te Heuheu has announced that everyone entering the Auckland District Court will be subject to security screening from today.

"The screening has been made available by the $9 million allocated in Budget 2009 and includes equipment and extra personnel," Mrs te Heuheu said.

"The fulltime screening will then be rolled out to Manukau District Court later this month and to the Christchurch Courthouse at the beginning of October.

"Everyone, except judges and uniformed police officers, coming to these three courts will be electronically screened every time they enter, just like at airports, by walking through a metal detector and having their bags x-rayed.

"The screening is designed to reduce the risk of weapons being bought into the courthouse and increase safety for all court users."

Mrs te Heuheu said the Ministry of Justice has worked closely with the Law Society to ensure the screening does not cause undue delays, impact on lawyer-client privilege or lawyers' role at court.

Eight additional Court Security Officers have already been employed, bringing the national total to 72, with a further 11 this financial year.

Eventually there will be more than 100 Security Officers operating around the country.

Mrs te Heuheu said the Ministry's building programme is also contributing to better court security.

"The soon to be completed $25 million refurbishment of the Auckland District Court includes a single entrance, enabling the screening of all court users, as well as a secure jury assembly area, improved CCTV coverage, secure victims and witness areas, and capability for audio visual links."

Enhanced security measures will be introduced at a number of other courts by the time the project is completed in the 2012-13 financial year.

Background information

Screening is allowed under the Court Security Act 1999.

All security screening is electronic, with baggage x-rays or hand-held scanners, or both, rather than a physical search of a person or their possessions.

If an item is detected, the person is asked to produce it. It may be surrendered temporarily and can be returned when the person leaves the courthouse. If an item is an offensive weapon, the police will be involved.

Larger courts will include a walkthrough detector and a baggage x-ray, followed by a handheld-scan if necessary - broadly similar to that seen at airports.

Smaller courts may have a walkthrough detector supported by handheld-scans, or handheld-scans only.

Protocols are in place to allow the entry of vulnerable parties to the courthouse by means other than the security designated entrance.