A full-time security guard has been stationed at Warren County Justice Court in what county officials called a purely precautionary measure.

R&R Security of Vicksburg was employed to have an officer present during the regular business day at the court, 919 Farmer St., at $430 per week, which is $10.75 per hour for 40 hours.

Reginald Flaggs, who owns the company, began duties as a guard about July 31, said Justice Court Clerk Carla Fields. &#8220He’s just here in case something does happen,” Fields said.

The guard is normally stationed in the building’s main lobby, the room into which the public enters to attend court sessions and pay fines. Deputy clerks work behind a window to the right of the main door. The courtroom is to the left.

Warren County has three justice court judges, elected from north, central and south districts, who hear misdemeanor criminal cases that occur in the county outside the city limits and preliminary matters in felony cases. They also handle civil cases involving amounts of $2,500 or less.

&#8220He’s not in the courtroom,” Fields said of the guard’s duties.

One situation in which a security-guard may be helpful would be if someone comes to Justice Court to pay a fine, discovers that a warrant for his arrest exists and tries to leave, Fields said.

If a disagreement or fight occurs, &#8220He’s here to tell them to take that off the property,” Fields said of another duty of the guard.

Flaggs said a judge generally holds court every weekday from about 10 a.m. until noon and that the busiest days there for criminal matters are Wednesdays and Thursdays. Among the guard’s duties are to make sure that people don’t loiter and that the parking lot is secure.

On days when criminal cases are heard, deputy sheriffs and state troopers are often also in the building. Sheriff Martin Pace said deputies are there whenever a case involving his department is being heard.

County administrator John Smith said supervisors had first considered the idea at least a year ago.

Justice Courts may employ constables as bailiffs but rarely do, Central District Constable Rudolph Walker said. The daily rate paid for such work is $25 and constables can make much more money serving papers during the day, Walker explained.

Smith said the move is part of &#8220a general response to all the court system’s needs. We’re just trying to think ahead.”

The justice court building is three blocks east of the Warren County Courthouse, where circuit, chancery and county courts are held. Youth Court is held in a separate complex southeast of the courthouse.

The sheriff is responsible for security at all county courts except justice.

Recent grand juries have recommended that more deputies be hired to enhance security in the courthouse. Pace said the process of hiring and training such deputies has taken about a year, but that his department now has sufficient manpower to cover each courtroom and other public areas of the courthouse even when all courts are in session at once.

The additions are a reaction to violence in courtrooms and against judges and court personnel in other jurisdictions. Security for federal judges is provided by the U.S. Marshal’s Service.