WALLACE – The Shoshone County commissioners continue to address security at the Shoshone County Courthouse following the Dec. 26 shooting at the neighboring Shoshone County Sheriff’s Office. 

Last week, the board approved two new policies — one outlining how keys for the building are issued and tracked, and another requiring county employees to wear identification badges. 

Commissioner Dave Dose said he and the board’s clerk spent time searching for an existing key policy and couldn’t find one. 

“We didn’t have a policy,” Dose said. “So, we haven’t had any way of officially making people be more responsible for their keys; turning them in, checking them out, sharing them. That’s what we think this does.” 

The new policy designates the county’s building and maintenance supervisor as the keymaster, responsible for issuing, tracking and disabling all keys. All keys remain county property, and access may be revoked at any time. Employees are prohibited from copying or sharing keys, propping open secured doors or leaving entrances unlocked outside emergency procedures. They must report lost or stolen keys immediately, ensure doors close behind them and return keys when their employment ends or they are placed on leave. Violations may result in discipline up to termination, as well as potential criminal charges or financial liability. 

The commissioners are also exploring an upgrade from traditional locks to a digital fob-based system, which would allow them to track when people enter the building and record each use of a fob. 

In January, the commissioners approved issuing ID badges to county employees and have now adopted a policy to formalize that requirement. 

The new badge policy requires all employees and authorized personnel with regular access to the courthouse to wear county‑issued identification at all times while inside the building. According to the policy, the purpose is to increase safety by ensuring everyone in the courthouse is easily identifiable. Badges must be worn above the waist, kept visible and may not be altered, shared or used by anyone other than the individual to whom they were issued. 

The policy also states that the courthouse security officer will create, issue and retrieve badges, including temporary badges for employees who forget or lose theirs. Lost or stolen badges must be reported immediately, and repeated loss or damage may lead to corrective action. Violations may result in disciplinary measures or revocation of courthouse access. 

These changes follow other security measures recently approved by the board. In January, commissioners voted to lock the courthouse’s side entry, which also serves as the building’s handicap-accessible entrance. Under the new system, the door will remain locked and feature a button-activated buzzer to alert security when someone needs access. 

Dose previously stated that, following the shooting, a committee made up of all elected officials and department heads who work inside the courthouse was formed to discuss ways to increase security while maintaining accessibility to the building. This security committee will meet regularly to discuss concerns or needed improvements and will address issues as they arise.