Why is it that some departments’ policy to let escort officers be armed during the escort? Haven’t enough officers been hurt or killed by inmates who have nothing to lose by attempting to take the weapon?
It’s common on TV news reports to see a defendant in custody near an officer or deputy who’s wearing a weapon, while the defendant is handcuffed in front of his or her body. It should be a standard practice for all court escorts to not be armed with a sidearm or any weapon that the inmate can get his or her hands on.
If the inmate is that dangerous, have an armed officer or deputy sit in the back of the courtroom for emergencies such as an attempt escape. My department practices this procedure, and we have never had an incident with an in-custody defendant trying to take a weapon — because there is no weapon to take.
All weapons that the officer might use in normal operations are locked up in individual gun lockers nowhere near where an inmate can get to them, even while trying to escape.
Departments with different policies should reconsider.