Wisconsin's top court administrator named to national court security panel

Madison, Wisconsin - Dec. 22, 2003

Director of State Courts A. John Voelker has been named to a national panel that will develop a court security training program for courts in five large, urban jurisdictions in Arizona, California, Florida, Maryland, and Minnesota. 

"We are proud of Wisconsin's leadership on this critical issue, and honored by this national recognition," said Chief Justice Shirley S. Abrahamson. "John's experience and knowledge in this area will be extraordinarily helpful in the effort to design this new program."

A 12-year employee of the Wisconsin court system, Voelker has led an effort to improve security in Wisconsin's 70-plus courthouses. In partnership with the Wisconsin Sheriffs and Deputy Sheriffs Association, the U.S. Marshals Service, and Fox Valley Technical College, he helped to create the Wisconsin Courthouse Security Training Program - the first of its kind in the nation - in 2001. That program trained 400 court employees and security personnel in 10 locations around the state, focusing on increased security awareness and simple, low-cost procedural improvements to make Wisconsin's courthouses safer. In 2002, the Wisconsin Courthouse Security Training Program won the prestigious Justice Achievement Award in an international competition.

For more information contact:
Amanda Todd
Court Information Officer
(608) 264-6256

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