LAKEPORT, Calif. – Following a bomb threat against the Lake County Courthouse last week, local officials have heightened security precautions and conducted another sweep of the building.

The threat against the building, located at 255 N. Forbes St. in Lakeport, occurred last Wednesday afternoon, as Lake County News has reported.

An anonymous male subject phoned a local newspaper reporter to make the threat. Undersheriff Pat Turturici told Lake County News that the subject made the threat in connection to the sheriff’s office’s ongoing marijuana eradications around the county.

While nothing was found during an initial sweep, concerns about the building’s safety have continued.

County Administrative Officer Matt Perry told Lake County News that, based on discussions with law enforcement, the decision was made to close the four-story courthouse completely at the end of the work day on Friday.

The building, which houses both court and county employees, remained secure over the weekend in advance of another precautionary security sweep, Perry said.

On Monday the courthouse reopened for business, but with county officials taking extra precautions, the details of which they have not released.

In order for the public to enter the courthouse, they must go through the main entrance on N. Forbes Street and pass through a security checkpoint. Courthouse employees with badges generally are not required to be screened.

Perry said county employees were reminded of existing security procedures, including directing all persons to enter the building through the main entrance and therefore pass through the security screening.

He said those security procedures prohibit anyone exiting through a side door from allowing entry through that door.

Perry said he was planning to meet on Tuesday with sheriff’s officials, Lake County Superior Court Executive Officer Mary Smith and Board of Supervisors Chair Rob Brown to discuss how long to continue the special security measures that have been in place following the threat.

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