The Conference of Chief Justices (CCJ) and Conference of State Court Administrators (COSCA) adapted Resolution 17 - "In Support of the Importance of Court Security" during their 57th Annual Meeting on August 2005.

This resolution noted that the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Building and the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack "...introduced another aspect to protecting the courts" from the threat of national and international terrorist and resolved to "...perform the necessary actions to disseminate information and promote the adoption of best practices in court security among the state court systems".

In response to this resolution, Global Systems Technologies, Inc. (GST) is focused on the gathering threat from Homemade Explosives (HME) and has introduced products and services targeted to the Court Security Checkpoint.

CHECKPOINT CSO TRAINING COURSE

The GST CSO Security Training for the court system provides a comprehensive solution which consists of seven courses custom tailored to meet the requirements of the court's Standard Operating Procedures (SOP). Below are the course descriptions:

• Introduction to the Administrator/Student Management Systems - This one hour course is for the supervisors and trainers. The supervisors and trainers will learn how to manage all activities within the Management System including topics such as Student registration, Student tracking and Student analysis.



• Introduction to X-Ray Screening - This is a 30 minute DVD for the CSO that covers the following:
• Basic X-ray theory - How X-ray machines work and why we use them
• Safety - Radiation and equipment safety
• Basic Image Processing - Image enhancement tools and functions
• Introduction to threat categories
• Introduction to treats including Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) or Homemade Explosive Devices (HME)

• The IED / HME Threat - This is a two hour course for the CSO. The objective of this course is to provide an overview of the components of a HME or IED explosive. The students will receive hands-on demonstrations of detonators, commercial explosives, binary explosives, military explosives, concealment scenarios, and best practices. The purchase of the Modular IED Training kit (a training aid designed for the US Marshals Service) is required. Optional simulated kits are available and will be used in the training class.

Threat items - guns and knives - This is an hour long course for the CSO. The objective of the course is to provide awareness of common concealment scenarios using various items and hands-on exercises.

• Introduction to Walk-Thru and Hand Wand Metal Detectors - This is a two hour course that includes detailed DVD and hands on demonstrations. The objective of the course is to provide the student with an understanding of how these systems work, what kind of threats they will find, and how to operate the detectors correctly.

• Introduction to X-ray Interpretation - X-Ray machines are sophisticated pieces of equipment which will help your security personnel to identify threat and non-threat items easily and quickly. Sadly, the identification of these items is never taught. A potential perpetrator can and will hide prohibited items away from the operator unless the operator is trained correctly. This Computer Based Course provides the operator with a 100% simulated X-Ray Environment to manipulate multiple images in order to identify items such as Guns, Knives and IED's in an environment where a mistake is not catastrophic.

The course is comprised of an introduction, and four individual lessons which begin easy and steadily build in complexity. There is a final exam for the student which tests their new skills in a more 'time constrained' environment. A grade of 90% is required to pass the final exam, which will then provide the student with a certificate of completion. All student activity is recorded in the Management System for review and analysis by the Instructors, in order to schedule remedial and new training at a date of their choice. Total training time: 1.5-2.5 hours depending on the student.

• Intermediate X-ray Interpretation - This course continues on from the 'Introduction' class described above, and increases the complexity and difficulty of identifying and finding the threat items hidden in the various bags, luggage and clothing. As with the 'Introduction' there are 4 lessons followed by a final test and completion certificate. Total training time: 1.5-2.5 hours depending on student.

• Hands on Demonstration of the Walk Through, Hand Wand and X-Ray Machine As the CSO's become more knowledgeable and confident with the use of the equipment, time will be spent demonstrating how perpetrators have and will attempt to avoid detection. This 'hands-on' session will consist of the Modular IED Training kit; concealed simulated IED's and weapons and will test the CSO's ability to use the security equipment to its maximum effect.

Services and Training Products

• Checkpoint Training Kit - This kit was designed for the facilities that required training tools to incorporate with their training program. The kit consist on the Modular IED Training Kit, Introduction to X-Ray Screening DVD, Introduction to metal detectors and (10) ten Student Guides.
• Student Training Guides - A workbook for the "Introduction to X-Ray Screening" and "Introduction to Hand Wand & Walk through Metal Detectors" DVDs.
• On-site CSO Checkpoint Training - Custom onsite class tailored to the courthouse Standard Operation Procedures (SOP). The training includes: Introduction to the Administrator/ Student Management Systems; Introduction to X-ray Screening; The IED/HME Threat; Threat and prohibited items concealment scenarios; Introduction to Walk-Through and Hand Wand Metal Detectors; Introduction to X-ray Image Interpretation; Intermediate X-ray Interpretation; and Hands-on demonstration of the X-ray machine and metal detectors. This training includes a modular training kit. The Explosive Recognition Training kit and simulated IEDs will be used in this training.
• I-Screen X-Ray Image Interpretation - The I-Screen is a simulated screener training computer based tool for training the screener how to indentify threats and prohibited items.
• Consulting Services - These services include: Threat and Vulnerability Analysis; Checkpoint Design; Equipment Needs Analysis; Threat & Countermeasure determination; and Systems Audits.

For more information download the Checkpoint Training Catalog

Links

Conference of State Courthouse Administrators

Protecting Court: A Practitioners Guide to Court Security

National Center State Courts - Best Practices for Courthouse Security

National Center for State Courts - Ten Essential Elements for Courtroom Safety and Security