As a police specialist, I see substantial problems pending for regional law enforcement officials when the Casey Anthony spectacle, or rather murder trial, commences on May 9 right here in my home town of Orlando, Florida. While many tend to be concentrating on the latest court motions and rulings, Administrators with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office (the law enforcement agency charged with court security), the Orlando Police Department, and others are meeting behind closed doors working out the strategies as well as contingency options. Of course, the Sheriff’s Office well knows the case itself as they have been the head agency in the Caylee Anthony case investigation from the start.
Many have lamented the reality that huge gobs of assets will certainly be used from additional areas of nearby law enforcement particularly the Sheriff’s Office. While that is true, I don’t believe that the Orange County Sheriff’s Office has much choice. While I recognize the pain on the part of other affected individuals of crime who don’t garner the identical level of interest, I fully grasp that the Sheriff’s Office has to handle the situations they tend to be presented. It is actually the identical with emergency services. They can’t inform someone that they can’t react due to the fact absolutely no one is readily available. When it comes to matters of public safety, law enforcement has to be present to take proper care of the probable or present threat. When they do run to those emergency services calls, or the concerns encompassing the Casey Anthony trial, other parts do obtain less interest. If it’s anyone’s fault, it is Casey Anthony’s (if she does end up getting found guilty).
The Problems
Definitely there will be the front doorway security, but there are also a variety of additional worries that few have pondered, but that the law enforcement folks are likely considering. As a ex- police chief who has managed court security concerns, I envision a myriad of problems to end up being tackled. Precedent situations consists of venues such as the Michael Jackson and O.J. Simpson trials. Those who observed those legal actions, know full well that order as well as chaos are generally not really far apart particularly when all the attendant troubles are not really projected for.
Courthouse Protection
The obvious one, courtroom and courthouse front door security is obviously the first tier of safeguard and where a significant volume of assets will be expended. The room will be stuffed with friends and family members from both sides, as well as the large numbers of media that will be descending on Orlando. Judge Belvin Perry has previously invented a system for selecting persons who are vying for the limited quantity of seats at the trial
While Orlando is accustomed to being host to a bevy of higher profile superstars, the trial will bring star news individuals to the land of Disney. The existence of those folks will bring its own collection of safety considerations. At a minimum, Police officers and deputy sheriffs will undoubtedly be reacting to occurrences large as well as small regarding these types of personalities.
Threats
Casey Anthony’s unique form of celebrity has already created a rabid crowd of defenders as well as detractors. Some of those individuals are a little on the, shall we say, psychologically unhinged part of the specrum, and will mail letters of differing severity of threats to the different participants in this case. The receipients would certainly consist of members of the prosectuion and also defense teams (which includes lightning rod Jose Baez), Judge Belvin Perry, Casey, Cindy, Geoge, along with Lee Anthony, as well as members of the mass media who may possibly be thought of as not really reporting the case seeing as an individual might desire them to.
Whomever the objective, law enforcement (and it will fall largely to Sheriff Jerry Demings’ Orange County Sheriff’s Office) will certainly have to conduct a threat review to decide the veracity and significance involving the note writer. That will take assets and is no easy task.
Just question the United States Secret Service and its special agents who have serious knowledge in evaluating prospective dangers to the President, Vice President, as well as various other digintaries. Nearer to the targets that are present within this circumstance, the United States Marshals Service has long had a area of expertise of protecting federal judges and furnishing court house security. And most likely no agency has far more knowledge with movie star and high profile trials than the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office.
Risk evaluation and target protection is not an undertaking for the ill-trained or run of the mill law enforcer. Seasoned, expert investigators will end up being put on the case.
Back when I worked in a Sheriff’s Office Courthouse Division, I examined threat notes delivered to judges. These were evidently mentally out of kilter individuals penning the notes. Their obvious psychological condition makes them no less a threat to the protectee.
Road Traffic
Controlling the increase of cars and trucks into the downtown area of Orlando, Florida is going to be another throbbing headache that falls on the shoulders of law enforcement. Not only will the additional motor vehicles present an issue, but the existence of the mass media will bring its unique set of complications. Sizeable satellite television live trucks will have to discover locations to park that provide advantageous easy access to the courthouse, but does not impede the flow of vehicular traffic. Moreover, a few mass media types will be arriving with mobile homes in tow to house them during the couple of month trial. Those also will certainly have to be parked somewhere that operates for all involved.
Jury Security
And then there is the matter regarding the jury. A lot like the prosecution, defense, and Anthony family protectees, there will be the added possible targets in the jurors as well as alternative jurors. Like many judges, Judge Perry will look to not provide a rationale to be overturned on appeal. Judges hate to be overturned, so he is going to wish to continue to keep individuals at a distance from them such as especially aggressive members of the press or the public.
To its credibility, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office is a skilled agency with in excess of 3,000 people. It is absolutely no stranger to higher profile cases or public analysis. They will be on the global stage as the world will look at most aspects of the trial quite cautiously. I completely expect that they will ascend to the difficult task with perhaps a very few acceptable glitches on the path.
For more information on Casey Anthony case interviews, go to Dr. Weinblatt’s website www.policeexpert.info. Dr. Richard Weinblatt, The Cop Doc, is a former police chief and criminal justice professor who has been interviewed by local and national media including CBS News, CNN, HLN, and MSNBC.