Yrth Posted September 23, 2011 Share Posted September 23, 2011 I intern *at a courthouse. I've been coming downtown twice a week for the past 3 weeks and if the one guard who knows me isn't there, I have to go through the line in the morning. I go out to lunch, and I have to go through the process every single time I come back. I'd be ok with it except for one thing -- they make me take off my belt. I guess everyone has a different line, but to me, taking off my belt is taking it too far. I'm standing there, in my suit and tie, putting my belt on. How am I supposed to maintain any kind of professionalism if I'm taking off my belt? I -work- here, I should get some kind of pass, I'm an obvious non-threat. Perhaps they -will- up my security risk if this continues. I get the risk at an airport, at borders. But at my place of work? I'm a risk at my place of work? This is ridiculous. emailing the program coordinator about it. just thought I'd rant it off here... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freeasabird Posted September 23, 2011 Share Posted September 23, 2011 Isn't that a big risk as well, former or soon to be former employees who crack? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilentLoner Posted September 24, 2011 Share Posted September 24, 2011 I can see the need for concern at a courthouse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RankStranger Posted September 24, 2011 Share Posted September 24, 2011 Well those folks need something to do in order to feel important. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thackerie Posted September 24, 2011 Share Posted September 24, 2011 Makes sense to me. I've heard numerous news stories about violence erupting during court proceedings, especially in child custody and divorce cases. I guess dealing with the established procedures is just part of what interns need to learn on the job. P.S. If taking off a belt is too much of a hassle, you could consider wearing suspenders. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ouroboros Posted September 24, 2011 Share Posted September 24, 2011 TSA workers are people too... well, most of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yrth Posted September 24, 2011 Author Share Posted September 24, 2011 employees are not a risk at all, which is why everyone has a pass -- except interns for some reason.. of course, the DA interns do have some sort of pass. it really is arbitrary and highly rant-worthy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Godless Dave Posted September 25, 2011 Share Posted September 25, 2011 Some guy in my city walked into a courthouse and shot a bunch of people. They need security there. People who lose legal cases sometimes hold a grudge against the judge or a lawyer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yrth Posted September 26, 2011 Author Share Posted September 26, 2011 Yeap, not arguing against the need for court security. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stamps1962 Posted September 26, 2011 Share Posted September 26, 2011 TSA workers are people too... well, most of them. While on vacation in Rhode Island this Summer we went through a security scan at the RI State Capitol building, two beefy state patrolmen. No big deal but what was interesting was when I asked for directions to the College Hill neighbiorhood (My son and I were doing an H.P. Lovecraft walking tour), one of them completely dropped his demeanor and we had a five minute discussion about Lovecraft- turned out he'd read all the stories and gave us directions to landmarks, etc. Point is, these are people. They may not like what they have to do but it's, not their place to waive it for anyone. They didn't frisk us too closely, may have had a different take if they did. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShackledNoMore Posted September 27, 2011 Share Posted September 27, 2011 Although I'm not a security expert, I don't see how having people take off their belts makes you "safe" when contraband can be hid more effectively elsewhere in locations that are less scrutinized (like in your shorts), but it does provide a good show and helps sell the message that we must be kept under surveillance for our own protection from the threat of terrorism. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vigile Posted September 27, 2011 Share Posted September 27, 2011 Although I'm not a security expert, I don't see how having people take off their belts makes you "safe" when contraband can be hid more effectively elsewhere in locations that are less scrutinized (like in your shorts), but it does provide a good show and helps sell the message that we must be kept under surveillance for our own protection from the threat of terrorism. I always guessed they did this so they could set their metal detectors on sensitive without the buckle setting it off. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freeasabird Posted September 27, 2011 Share Posted September 27, 2011 Although I'm not a security expert, I don't see how having people take off their belts makes you "safe" when contraband can be hid more effectively elsewhere in locations that are less scrutinized (like in your shorts), but it does provide a good show and helps sell the message that we must be kept under surveillance for our own protection from the threat of terrorism. I always guessed they did this so they could set their metal detectors on sensitive without the buckle setting it off. This. The general idea is for you to remove every "declared" metal item so the machine only has to find the "undeclared" ones, no matter how small. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yrth Posted September 27, 2011 Author Share Posted September 27, 2011 But then they might find my prince albert... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShackledNoMore Posted September 28, 2011 Share Posted September 28, 2011 Although I'm not a security expert, I don't see how having people take off their belts makes you "safe" when contraband can be hid more effectively elsewhere in locations that are less scrutinized (like in your shorts), but it does provide a good show and helps sell the message that we must be kept under surveillance for our own protection from the threat of terrorism. I always guessed they did this so they could set their metal detectors on sensitive without the buckle setting it off. Well, I happen to be one who thinks that 9/11 was exploited to generate undue fear and paranoia which greased the skids for better acceptance of an invasive big brother. Your observation is clearly on target. It was not valid to key on the belt to lead into a rant without considering the use of the metal detector. It's an interesting phenomenon framing something to support one's own world view. I'm still sure there are those who are delighted that something like this provides a convenient show to remind us how dangerous a place the world is and that we need to be protected, but if the premise is accepted that it is reasonable to have people entering a courthouse pass through a metal detector, and one set at a high sensitivity at that, the show of getting to see someone take off their belt becomes more of a side effect. Were people less likely to have to take off their belts when entering a courthouse more than 10 years ago, and has security at the entrance been tightentd down? I'm guessing probably. Are there fewer courthouse incidents now that we are "security aware?" I don't know, but I don't remember this being considered a widespread concern in the year 2000. On the other hand, people are likely to go into courthouses with agendas. I'm pretty sure it's not unheard of for someone to try to go in with a gun, before or after 9/11, and I think this was recognized in the pre 9/11 world when less invasive security measures were in place at entrances and they were not controversial. (There was airport security, but you could just walk into a theme park. I don't rememer much about courthouse entrances, but I don't remember anything dramatic the few times I've gone inside one.) It's all a question of where we draw the line. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vigile Posted September 28, 2011 Share Posted September 28, 2011 Well, I happen to be one who thinks that 9/11 was exploited to generate undue fear and paranoia which greased the skids for better acceptance of an invasive big brother. I don't disagree. I was just responding to the technicality here. I'm with you as far as your criticism goes. IIRC, we are roughly the same age. When we were kids, we actually rode bikes without helmets, had far less airport security, and virtually no security in the schools we went to and surprisingly enough, almost all of us survived. The world sure must have gone to shit fast now that we have to take all these extra precautions just to get through the day in tact. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DesertBob Posted September 28, 2011 Share Posted September 28, 2011 I had to visit my country administrative offices a couple of weeks ago and I was amused to see a sign outside: ABSOLUTELY NO WEAPONS Guns Knives Cameras Cameras?! I didn't know a camera was a weapon. They had an airport-style metal detector. I put all my stuff to hand-examine onto the counter and among them was my MacBook Air (I figured I would be obliged to wait awhile and might as well get some work done). I was told I couldn't bring that dangerous computer in. Walked all the way back to the car to put it back and then they still let me in with my cell phone (which has a camera, although I never use it) and my cell modem (which I imagine they took to be a miscellaneous phone-like electronic device). So yes, this stuff is random. I chatted up the guard afterwards, who was relieved that I wasn't going to take my obvious annoyance out on him personally, and he told me the camera thing was so that people wouldn't go into the recorder's office and surreptitiously copy floor plans or engineering drawings so they would know of their competitor's intentions. All this reminds me of a classic story of two hackers from MIT visiting a friend in the hospital from a motorcycle accident. They wanted to bring him a teletype terminal so he could do some work from bed. A sign at the entrance next to the guard, however, said NO ELECTRONIC DEVICES OTHER THAN THE FOLLOWING: and the list of allowed items included televisions and typewriters. So the hackers explained to the guard that this was a television-typewriter. They plugged it in. See? You type on the typewriter and words appear on the television. Scratching his head, the guard looked at the "television-typewriter", looked at the list of allowed items, shrugged and let them in. And THAT was in the 60's. The more things change the more they stay the same. --Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trulyfree Posted October 1, 2011 Share Posted October 1, 2011 Were people less likely to have to take off their belts when entering a courthouse more than 10 years ago, and has security at the entrance been tightentd down? I'm guessing probably. Are there fewer courthouse incidents now that we are "security aware?" I don't know, but I don't remember this being considered a widespread concern in the year 2000. On the other hand, people are likely to go into courthouses with agendas. I'm pretty sure it's not unheard of for someone to try to go in with a gun, before or after 9/11, and I think this was recognized in the pre 9/11 world when less invasive security measures were in place at entrances and they were not controversial. (There was airport security, but you could just walk into a theme park. I don't rememer much about courthouse entrances, but I don't remember anything dramatic the few times I've gone inside one.) It's all a question of where we draw the line. I remember having to take my belt off back in the mid nineties when entering a courthouse. Federal buildings had metal detectors and warnings about bringing in weapons before 9/11 happened. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chosendarkness Posted October 1, 2011 Share Posted October 1, 2011 When we were kids, we actually rode bikes without helmets, Everything seems so wimpified now. We turn on the TV and it tells us what scared level we should be at. We used to have to tells kids to come inside, now it's the opposite. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stryper Posted October 1, 2011 Share Posted October 1, 2011 But then they might find my prince albert... well you better let him out then. sorry couldn't resist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yrth Posted October 1, 2011 Author Share Posted October 1, 2011 But then they might find my prince albert... well you better let him out then. sorry couldn't resist. Heh, I wish I had one to set off the security alarms. Would love to have that conversation with a guard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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