Detecting a New Sense of Security at Courthouse : Public safety: Two metal detectors are installed at Ventura Hall of Justice to guard against potential violence in an area that handles the emotionally explosive family-law cases.

Gay Conroy came to Ventura County Superior Court on Monday to argue a divorce case. But first, the Ventura family-law attorney was ordered to empty her pockets and hand over her briefcase.

In an attempt to head off violence, authorities on Monday started using metal detectors to screen those entering the fourth floor of the Hall of Justice, where some of the county’s most emotionally explosive court cases are heard.

Most people did not seem to mind, saying the added security was well worth the inconvenience.

“I’ve been in favor of doing something like this for a long time because emotions run too high in those courtrooms,” Conroy said, referring to the family-law courtrooms. “When there is violence in the courthouse, this is where it is.”

The metal detectors were installed in the wake of the bombing of the federal building in Oklahoma City last month and a shooting in a Seattle courthouse in March that left two women dead and another seriously wounded.

On Monday, everyone exiting the fourth-floor elevators at the courthouse was greeted by a pair of hulking, airport-like metal detectors. The court patrons were ordered to drop any coins, keys and other items from their pockets into plastic trays. They had to hand over briefcases and handbags to be searched.

And, if they still set off the alarm, they were checked again by a deputy toting a hand-held metal-detecting wand.

For Conroy, it was the metal in her shoes that caused the alarm to buzz.

“On most women’s shoes, in the arch, there is a steel spine, and it will set them off,” Deputy Art Wiggins told Conroy.

For many others, it was foil in packs of cigarette and gum, or pagers and belt buckles. Or even eyeglass cases.

“I set it off,” said one young woman in blue jeans and a dark top, whose belt buckle tripped the alarm. “That’s a great start to the afternoon.”

All day, especially around the high-activity morning and lunch hours, the two detectors buzzed constantly.

Few complained.

“I practice family law a lot, and I actually think it’s a good thing,” declared Joan Prudhomme, a Thousand Oaks attorney in court Monday on a medical malpractice case. Prudhomme, in and out of court all day, set the detector off more than 10 times. She blamed it on her watch.

She said the detectors would help ease the insecurity of her women clients going through a divorce, “where the major concern is guys who come in with guns and blow their ex-wives away,” she said. “They’ll never be able to make it past now with these.”

Fred Jones, 55, of Camarillo was also in the family court on some personal business. Several weeks ago as he was sitting in court, a fight broke out, he said.

“One guy hit another person,” Jones said. “I jumped in between them because the victim was holding a small child.”

If the scenario were to repeat itself, Jones said, he would feel much better knowing neither person had a weapon.

Ventura is not the only courthouse that has installed metal detectors since the Oklahoma City bombing, said attorney Randall J. Kelley.

Kelley, a real estate attorney, said he has seen them go up in Bakersfield and Norwalk.

“I don’t think it’s necessary, but it gives the public a feeling of safety,” said the Sherman Oaks attorney, who had just emptied a pack of Marlboro cigarettes and some keys from his pocket after setting off a metal detector.

Despite planning for a week before putting up the detectors, some confusion still was evident Monday. Some people thought they had to go through the detectors to leave the building. Others thought that in addition to walking through the detectors, they had to submit to a search by deputies.

Sgt. Dick Southwick of the Sheriff’s Department said the security operation should go much smoother once the deputies and those using the courts get used to it.

“The key is, this is our first day of operation,” he said.