Boy’s shooting spurs questions about armed deputies in court

COLUMBUS, Ohio – An Ohio officer’s fatal shooting of a 16-year-old boy during a scuffle outside a juvenile courtroom has some people questioning whether such sheriff’s deputies should carry guns while monitoring that court.

The Columbus Dispatch reports the Jan. 17 shooting of Joseph Haynes prompted an online petition demanding that deputies stop carrying guns in Franklin County Juvenile Court.

An official from the local police union that represents deputies says taking away guns from trained officers would be a mistake.

Sheriff Dallas Baldwin declined to talk about whether court security measures are being reviewed, saying such discussion would be inappropriate until the shooting investigation is finished.

Court security by armed deputies is common practice, though not universal. Connecticut and Massachusetts don’t allow their court-employed security officers to carry guns in court.

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Information from: The Columbus Dispatch, http://www.dispatch.com