Special Constables and Court Security

The special constables of the Belleville Police Force are responsible for law enforcement and security at the Quinte Courthouse. There they undertake tasks related to overseeing and transferring prisoners to and from different locations, including the Quinte Detention Centre in Napanee.

At the courthouse the special constables monitor prisoners  from the  Belleville police and other police services Quinte West and Centre Hastings OPP. Their main priority is the ensure the safety and security of prisoners in custody.

“Every morning, two people from our staff will drive to the Quinte Detention Centre to pick up prisoners for sentencing, bail hearings or other court dates” says Sergeant Lockwood.

Along with overseeing prisoners, special constables provide security to the courthouse a. When entering the building, visitors will be greeted by two special constalbes who will conduct a scanned search to make sure no weapons or illegal substances enter.  Sergeant Lockwood says, “We’ve had people try to enter with some drugs when coming to the courthouse to see a friend at a sentence hearing."

The courthouse is monitored with security cameras both inside and outside. To keep the building and prisoner transfers secure, certain doors are kept locked and can only be opened by a special constable running the security system.

Special constables have to deal with a lot of troubled people and it is an opportunity to interact with them and help them maybe turn their life around.