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Safety and Security
- The United States Marshals Service, with the assistance of Court Security Officers (CSO), is responsible for keeping the District of Columbia Courts a safe and secure environment for all. Every person entering the D.C. Courts is subject to search. Handheld possessions are subject to search and inspection. Dangerous items will be confiscated. Weapons are prohibited and will be confiscated.
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All persons entering the courthouse are asked to:
- Empty their pockets and place the contents in a container for X-ray scanning.
- Place overcoats on the belt of the X-ray scanning machine. Possessions should be left in the coat pockets.
- Place purses, briefcases, backpacks, and parcels on the X-ray machine.
- Walk through the metal detector.
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Safety and Security 3
- If the x-ray or metal detector sets off an alert or alarm, a CSO may perform another scan, using a hand-held wand. The CSO also may conduct a physical search of personal articles to determine the cause of the alert or alarm.
- There are a variety of potentially hazardous and dangerous items that are not permitted inside court facilities. In general, items that could be used to injure or harm another person are not permitted. If in doubt about an item, do not bring it to court. Swiss Army Knives and other pocket knives are among the prohibited items.
- Before leaving the security screening area, persons entering the courthouse should be sure to retrieve all personal possessions.