Hundreds of items were confiscated by security at the Somerset County Courthouse in Somerville in 2015.
Single razor blades hiding in wallets, knives disguised as house keys, folding knives, pepper spray and even a few steak knives were secured by sheriff’s officers,” said Somerset County Sheriff Frank J. Provenzano.
Sheriff’s officers are responsible for protecting the courthouse. They screen everyone who enters the building to detect weapons or illegal contraband, as well as search packages or other containers entering the court building.
“They have again done a great job in collecting potentially dangerous items before they could enter the Somerset County Courthouse,” the sheriff said. “Once the officers identify the potentially dangerous items, most items are surrendered and are collected for destruction and secured in the sharps container.”
Although the number of courthouse visitors is not tracked, in 2015 more than 338,800 items were X-rayed. Based on those scans and metal-detector alerts, hundreds of items considered as potential weapons were stopped at the entrance of the courthouse.
“There is no way to prove if the confiscated items were intended for potential harm or just an innocent oversight,” Sheriff Provenzano said, “but the most important value is in thwarting any potential danger from entering the courthouse and ultimately into the hands of someone who might do harm in a court hearing or trial.
He advised everyone coming to courthouse to check for items that could be considered dangerous and leave them at home.
