Humboldt County Municipal Code Ch. 7 Courthouse Security

Sections: Courthouse Security. Prohibited Weapons/Items. Arrest Powers. Violations. Penalty. Law Library. 267-1. Courthouse Security. Persons subject to screening on entry; breaching courthouse security measures or entering courthouse through unauthorized entryways prohibited. (Ord. 2243, § 1, 04/24/2001) (a) All persons entering the Humboldt County Courthouse, located at 825 Fifth Street, Eureka, California, must enter by means of the designated courthouse entry screening areas and must submit their persons and property to screening for weapons (“entry screening”). This subdivision shall not apply to those officers and employees of Humboldt Superior Court or the County of Humboldt who have assigned parking spaces in the underground parking facility or who have been specifically designated as exempt from its provisions by the Humboldt County Sheriff. (Ord. 2243, § 1, 4/24/2001) (b) It is unlawful for any person to breach, defeat, bypass, or tamper with any mechanism, system or facility installed to prevent, bar or restrict access to the Humboldt County Courthouse, with the intent to circumvent entry screening, or to aid another in such a breach, defeat, bypass, or tampering. (Ord. 2243, § 1, 4/24/2001)

(c) It is unlawful for any person to enter or exit, with the intent to circumvent the courthouse entry screening or to leave the Humboldt County Courthouse by way of any access door, hallway, or entry way posted as “restricted” or “no access”, unless authorized to do so by a sheriff’s deputy whose formal duties and responsibilities include security of the courthouse. (Ord. 2243, § 1, 4/24/2001) 267-2. Prohibited Weapons/Items. (a) The weapons or items described below may not be brought into any court building within Humboldt County. Persons bringing the following weapons or items into any court building will be asked to take the items out of the building. Illegal weapons shall be confiscated and court security notified for further disposition. (Ord. 2243, § 1, 04/ 24/2001) (1) Any fixed blade knife (2) Any folding knife with a blade length of over (2) inches (3) Any chemical agents (4) Scissors (5) Screwdrivers with a shaft length of over (2) inches (6) Any razor or box cutting type knife (7) Metal comb-pick (8) Ice picks (9) Letter opener (10) Knitting needles (11) Any items which contain a concealed type weapon (12) Laser pointers (13) Handcuff keys not in the possession of law enforcement personnel (14) Any aerosol spray (15) Any other pointed objects capable of inflicting a stab wound or objects with sharpened edges or surfaces capable of cutting are subject to exclusion depending upon the circumstances. (16) Any other weapon prohibited by law. (Ord. 2243, § 1, 4/24/2001) (b) In accordance with Penal Code Section 171b(b)(1), subdivision (a) of this section shall not apply to any of the following:

(1) A person who possesses weapons in, or transports weapons into, a court of law to be used as evidence. (Ord. 2395, § 1, 2/5/2008) (2) A duly appointed peace officer carrying out official duties and lawfully authorized to possess such weapons. (Ord. 2395, § 1, 2/5/2008) (Ord. 2395, § 1, 2/5/2008) 267-3. Arrest Powers. Sheriff’s deputies are authorized to arrest any person, without warrant therefore, whenever they have reasonable cause to believe that the person has committed an infraction or a misdemeanor in their presence that is a violation of this chapter. (Ord. 2243, § 1, 4/24/2001) 267-4. Violations. Any person violating, causing, or permitting the violation of this chapter shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor or an infraction, in the discretion of the prosecuting officer, and shall be punished by a fine, or by imprisonment in the county jail, provided, however, that any offense which would otherwise be an infraction shall constitute a misdemeanor if the defendant previously has been convicted of two or more violations of this chapter within the 12-month period preceding the commission of the instant offense, as alleged in the accusatory pleading. For purpose of this section, a bail forfeiture shall be deemed to be a conviction of the offense charged. (Ord. 2243, § 1, 4/24/2001) 267-5. Penalty. Every person convicted of a misdemeanor shall be punished upon a first conviction by a fine not exceeding fifty dollars ($50), or by imprisonment in the county jail not exceeding five (5) days; for a second conviction within a period of one (1) year by a fine not exceeding one hundred dollars ($100) or by imprisonment in the county jail not exceeding ten (10) days, or both such fine and imprisonment; and for a third or any subsequent conviction within a period of one (1) year by a fine not exceeding five hundred dollars ($500) or by imprisonment in the county jail not exceeding six (6) months, or by both such fine and imprisonment. (Ord. 2243, § 1, 4/24/2001) 267-6. Law Library. This chapter shall not apply to persons entering the Humboldt County Law Library (“Law Library”) by means of entrances provided for direct entry to such facilities. However, this chapter shall apply to all persons otherwise subject to the provisions of this chapter on their entering or reentering the Humboldt County Courthouse from the Law Library. (Ord. 2243, § 1, 4/24/2001)

§ 268-1. § 268-2. § 268-3. § 268-4.