2024 Annual Report - Flipbook - Page 15
POLICE SERVICES
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COURT SERVICES
COURT
SERVICES DIVISION
DIVISION
The Milwaukee County Circuit Court system consists of 47 circuit court judges and 22
court commissioners, who process more than 150,000 case files per year. There are five
divisions, which consist of the following administrative sections: Children’s Division, Civil
Division, Criminal Division, Jury Management, Probate, Administrative Services, and the
Office of the Chief Judge.
The Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office is responsible for the physical security of this
system, including facilities and external perimeters – the main Milwaukee County
Courthouse, the downtown Milwaukee County Safety Building, and the separately
located Vel R. Phillips Juvenile Justice Center, aka Children’s Court, courtroom security,
and detainee/defendant management. The Court Services Division includes a force of
well-trained Public Safety Officers, who protect entrances and exits at the above-named
county facilities.
In 2024, as MCSO’s Court Services Division was compelled to confront the same staffing
challenges that have been an issue for the agency overall and for public safety agencies
across the United States. While a National Center for State Courts (NCSC) review
recommended 114 bailiffs for Milwaukee County’s Court System, MCSO’s Courts Division
is budgeted for 99 deputy sheriff/bailiff positions, a fact which has necessitated more
strategic overtime deployments of deputies.
As Courts deputies are also assigned to occupant transport duties between the
courthouse and the Milwaukee County Jail, the Court Services Division took the proactive
step to work with the Office of the Chief Judge to facilitate more virtual hearings for
criminal defendants.
The Court Services Division was also able to implement an Active Shooter Response Team
to the Children’s Court complex, after having created such a team in 2023 for potential
violent threats or incidents in the Milwaukee County Courthouse, Criminal Justice
Facility, Safety Building, or on adjacent grounds.
MCSO 2024 Annual Report
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