HUTCHINSON, Kan. — After a somewhat heated discussion between County Commissioner Dan Deming (top left) and Sheriff Randy Henderson (top right) over cameras in the courthouse, the other two commissioners agreed with the sheriff and approved the plan.

The plan from Sheriff Henderson is to install 95 cameras throughout the courthouse to be able to monitor all public areas. Deming thought that to be excessive and wanted the number knocked down to 40 to 50, eliminating them on the fourth and fifth floors. That brought a sharp response from Magistrate Judge Cheryl Allen saying that when she worked as an Assistant District Attorney, they needed law enforcement assistance numerous times over domestic issues, such as child in need of care and cases where a parent may lose custody of their kids. She says it gets very volatile with those cases.

Sheriff Henderson reminded Deming that there have been incidents here in the past, to which Deming replied, “I know, I covered many of them.”

Sheriff Henderson argues they based their decisions on recommendation from federal marshals and officials with Homeland Security.

In the end, Commissioners Brad Dillon and James Schlickau voted in favor of the plan, while Deming voted against it, calling it the worst decision made by the commission since he took office.

Included in the plan is a system storage for those cameras and a door access control system. The total cost is $126,773. As we have been telling you, part of that cost is already covered by the bond issues passed by voters for building the new jail. The rest could come from District Court money collected from certain fines and fees.

When the installation of the cameras will begin wasn’t mentioned.