Sheriff Mark Dion has angered a lot of people, including some of his own deputies, by pulling his department out of security detail at the Cumberland County Courthouse. He insists, correctly, that he will not be party to the state’s consistent underfunding of its duty to protect the public.

The state’s response is to contract out court security to an employment agency.

This unfortunate situation no doubt says a lot about Sheriff Dion’s steadfastness and conviction. This, along with the Legislature’s rejection this year of a $100,000 appropriation to install metal detectors in its courthouses, certainly says a lot about the state’s willingness to shirk its responsibilities. And about its fondness for dumping its responsibilities onto local government. And, by outsourcing these important jobs, about its low regard for public employees.

Courthouses are highly emotional places. They bring together under one roof judges, lawyers, witnesses, innocent bystanders and serious, violent criminals. Even civil trials often result in bitter disappointment. Yet, when it comes to preventing tragedy, Maine continues to rely on dumb luck.

Sheriff Dion wanted $520,000 for the security detail, which would have included staffing for metal detectors. The Judicial Department’s court administrators offered $300,000. No negotiations, no compromise, no discussions with this experienced law-enforcement officer on what security shortcomings needed to be addressed. The sheriff offered to cover half of the metal detector payroll from his budget. No dice. Public safety in Maine courthouses continues to be a crapshoot.

Sheriff Dion has performed a valuable service by dragging this important issue into the spotlight. His actions also should remind Maine’s 15 other sheriffs, and their taxpaying constituents, that the state still owes some counties $500,000 or more for years of shortchanging them on reimbursement for housing state prisoners in county jails. The Maine Sheriff’s Association has been an effective voice in the past. It should speak up now and demand that the state thoroughly assess court security needs and develop a budget that reflects reality, not political expediency. While they’re at it, the sheriffs could ask, once again, for their jail reimbursement money.

Even the court guards who are mad at Sheriff Dion and leaving his employ probably will come to realize he’s right – at about the same time they realize the difference between being a full-time, permanent employee and a temp.