Court security.

The Superior Court Law Enforcement Act of 2002 authorizes the presiding judge of each superior court to contract with a sheriff or marshal for the necessary level of law enforcement services in the courts. Existing law requires the sheriff or marshal and presiding judge of any county to develop a court security plan to be utilized by the court, as specified, and requires the Judicial Council to establish a process for its review of court security plans in the California Rules of Court. Existing law requires the superior court and the sheriff or marshal to enter into a memorandum of understanding specifying the agreed upon level of court security services and their cost and terms of payment, and requires the sheriff or marshal to provide specified information to the courts by April 30 of each year, with actual court security allocations subject to the approval of the Judicial Council and the funding provided by the Legislature. This bill would state that the court security services provided by the sheriff, as agreed upon by the superior court and the sheriff, may include, but shall not be limited to, among other things, performing bailiff functions, escorting prisoners to and from holding cells, and providing security in areas adjacent to a courthouse facility, as specified.