MANKATO — Three county courthouses in the region are among the recipients of state grants through the Safe and Secure Courthouse Initiative.
Blue Earth, Sibley and Waseca county courthouses are among the 23 sites that will share in a total of $500,000 in safety and security improvements grants recently announced by Minnesota Supreme Court Justice Natalie Hudson.
Grant awards range from $750 to nearly $101,000. Of the 23 counties receiving funding, nine were for less than $10,000 and seven were for more than $25,000. As required by law, each county will provide a dollar-for-dollar match for its grant award, in either cash or in-kind services.
The initiative’s grants will help fund a variety of improvements, such as:
• Providing security training to courthouse officials and staff
• Installing bullet-resistant glass at public service counters
• Replacing aging security equipment
• Reconstructing points of entry
• Implementing door locks, cameras, key card readers and duress alarms
• Installing or upgrading security screening stations at courthouse entrances
• Improving exterior building safety and security.
The Safe and Secure Courthouse Initiative was established by Chief Justice Lorie Gildea in 2016 and was initially funded by a $1 million appropriation from the Minnesota Legislature.
An advisory panel, appointed by the chief justice, oversees the grant application and award process. The panel includes representatives from the Judicial Branch, county government, law enforcement and state justice partners.
The advisory panel previously awarded grants totaling $1 million in 2017 and $500,000 in 2022.