The Office of the Sheriff is responsible for security at the Camden County Hall of Justice. There are 30 Superior Court Judges who conduct trials and other proceedings in criminal, civil and family court matters. The Sheriff’s officers assigned to the Hall of Justice are detailed for courtroom security and transportation of inmates to and from the county jail, as well as general security in the building. Officers also maintain a metal detector at the entrance to the building, which scans all who enter for concealed weapons and prohibited items (see listing below).
In an average month, over 1,700 inmates are transported to and from the county jail. The overwhelming majority of these individuals are incarcerated for indictable offenses and are held in secured holding cells. It is also the responsibility of the Office of the Sheriff to guard youths who are brought to court from the Camden County Youth Center. An average of 323 juveniles are brought to court each month to be adjudicated by family court judges.
While awaiting their hearing, victims of domestic violence are separated from the accused in a victim’s waiting room, monitored by Sheriff’s Officers via closed-circuit TV. Upon request, an officer will escort victims out of the building to their means of transportation, for their safety.
Sheriff’s officers also have a processing unit which records the dispositions of cases for all individuals who are out on bail. This unit also runs background checks on prospective employees as well as issuing attorney identification cards. A new photo imaging computer has recently been added which greatly enhances the efficiency of this unit.
For more information, please contact:
Court Security Bureau: Commander
Captain Donald Souder
The Camden County Hall of Justice
5th Street and Mickle Blvd.,
Camden, NJ
(856)-225-7444 (Main Information Line)
(856) 225-7159 (Sheriff’s Department at the Hall of Justice)
EFFECTIVE MAY 23, 2016: The following items are prohibited in the Hall of Justice and in the Judiciary offices at the Executive Campus. You may return them to your residence or vehicle, or surrender them to the Sheriff’s Office. Surrendered items will NOT be returned to you. This list provides examples of prohibited items but is not all inclusive. The Camden County Sheriff’s Office reserves the right to restrict any other instrument that has the potential to be used as a weapon or to permit any item based upon individual circumstances. Individuals attempting to bring prohibited items into the courthouse or Judiciary offices will be charged accordingly.
- Firearms
- Imitation Firearms
- Knives (Any Size)
- Leatherman Multi-Tools
- Corkscrews
- Explosives
- Pepper Spray (MACE)
- Stun Guns
- Box Cutters /Razor Blades
- Manicure Sets
- Metal Utensils
- Metal Nail Files
- Hair Picks
- Knitting Needles, Crochet Hooks or Similar Items
- Alcohol
- Illegal Drugs
- Pad Locks
- Mechanical Tools (i.e. Hammers, Screwdrivers)
- Scissors
- Baseball Bats
- “Selfie” Sticks
- Large Industrial-Size Flashlights
- Laser Pointers
- Handcuffs / Handcuff Keys
- Cameras or Audio Recording Devices (Without Prior Judiciary Approval)