No bag policy could soon be coming to Cerro Gordo County Courthouse

MASON CITY — With the new front entry to the courthouse completed, Cerro Gordo County officials are now meeting to establish policies to improve safety in the building. The new entry has four double doors, with two sets of doors leading inside and two others outside. Metal detectors will be installed in the near future as part of the security improvements.

Sheriff Kevin Pals says a “no bags” type policy is his recommendation.  “Our  recommendation is going to be that there’s no bags allowed in, just because it takes that question out. Backpacks — attorneys obviously would be an exception — it would be similar to like federal courthouses. They’d have to be checked, Black Hawk County does the same thing right now.”

The supervisors gave direction to Pals to form a small committee of courthouse employees to further discuss what the security policies should be and then report back to them.