Judges authorize purchase of video arraignment system

The new system is expected to improve security involving county prisoners.
By NORMAN LEIGH
VINDICATOR SALEM BUREAU
LISBON -- The Columbiana County Sheriff's Department expects to save about $1,100 weekly through a video court-hearing system to be installed later this summer.
Judges representing county common pleas court, county municipal court and East Liverpool Municipal Court said Monday they have authorized the county clerk of courts office to spend the nearly $60,000 the new system will cost.
Money to pay for it will come from a special court fund fueled through court costs charged to defendants. No tax money is being used, the judges noted.
Benefits of system
The video arraignment system will use computer lines, television monitors and cameras to enable a judge to conduct a routine hearing with a defendant sitting in a room at the county jail.
It's expected to be operational in about six weeks.
Having the system in place in all the county's courts will save the sheriff's office the cost of having deputies transport prisoners to various courtrooms throughout the county for initial court appearances, arraignments and motion hearings.
Besides a cost savings, video arraignments also will produce safety improvements.
"Security is a nightmare," Sheriff Dave Smith said of the chore of hauling prisoners throughout the county for court appearances.
Judges Mark Frost of county municipal court and C. Ashley Pike of county common pleas court, said they are particularly pleased that the system can be implemented without tax revenue.
The county is undergoing a funding crunch brought on by a depleted general fund.
It's portable
The judges noted that the new system will be portable, allowing it to be transferred to the new courthouse planned for county municipal court.
The new structure is expected to be built in the next two years.
Municipal court now operates from locations in Salem, East Palestine and Lisbon.