Topping Off Ceremony Marks Milestone for Justice Center
Omaha and Douglas County officials were on hand last week to celebrate as the final steel beam was placed on the new Justice Center expansion during a topping-off ceremony.
The new Douglas County Justice Center sits across the street from the current Hall of Justice, which was built in 1912, making the much needed expansion long overdue according to county officials.
“I’ve lived a lot of my life in the old courthouse, and I wish we could stay there, but it’s not feasible,” Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine said during his remarks last Wednesday.
“We were beyond capacity here,” Kleine said. “As you all know, I’ve said before, I have people in four different buildings in this area as part of the County Attorney’s Office. I have people in the AIM Building, I have people on the ninth floor of the Civic Center, I have people on the first floor of the Courthouse and people in the basement of the Courthouse.”
To finally have everyone working under the same roof is going to be a huge improvement not only for efficiency but also to staff morale.
“The lawyers and staff in our office are elated and are so thankful about the opportunity to maybe see the outdoors,” Douglas County Public Defender Tom Riley joked. “Many lawyers in my office call our office sensory deprivation cubicles. And I’ve been promised that in the new building that we will have windows, so we’ll know if it’s day or night or if there’s a tornado coming down Harney Street.”
In addition to housing the county attorney and public defender’s offices, the Justice Center will also house Douglas County’s juvenile court system, including six dedicated courtrooms.
Officials were quick to praise the current Douglas County Courthouse for its years of service while also acknowledging the need for more space for the county’s expanding criminal justice system.
“That old girl has served us well,” said Commissioner Mary Ann Borgeson, chair of the Douglas County Board. “She’s done a great job, but we’re giving her some help. We are very happy and excited to see this courthouse expansion and the fruits of our labor become a reality.”
Not everyone shared the commissioner’s enthusiasm for the expansion. A small group of protesters gathered outside the Civic Center holding signs that were critical of the new building’s purpose.
County officials have not yet determined when the new building will be ready for use.
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