LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — During a press conference addressing the attack on Clark County Judge Mary Kary Holthus, Chief Judge Jerry Wiese said the Las Vegas District Court was facing a shortage of marshals.
“There’s always a shortage of marshals. We think that there could always be an increased security presence that would be better for the courthouse,” said Wiese.
According to a court information officer, the district court ideally needs 136 marshals. The information officer said they currently have 99 positions filled. Additionally, some help is on the way — 8 new members will enter the academy, and three new hires are in the onboarding process, according to a spokesperson.
Judge Wiese said courtrooms normally have one marshal monitoring the situation, but following the attack on Judge Holthus, they are working to fill in the openings.
“We have met with a security contractor to bring in additional security personnel to support courtroom coverage. We notified Clark County management that there is a need for additional Marshal positions in our high-risk calendars,” Wiese added.
He said they would like to add a second marshal inside courtrooms handling criminal cases.
“We would like to have a second marshal be available. At least for criminal calendars. That is part of the reason we met with our security contractor, so we can try to put a second person in the courtroom as often as we can,” he said.
Judge Wiese said he doesn’t know if additional marshals could have prevented the attack but added that having the extra manpower doesn’t hurt.
"We think that will always be better for the court, the staff we have here, and for the public,” said Weise.
According to the Clark County District Court website, people interested in becoming marshals have to go through the following:
To become a marshal, potential candidates first go through a thorough application and interview process, including a blood drug test, background check, and lie detector test. If they successfully complete that, they move on to a Peace Officer Standards and Training (P.O.S.T.) certification academy. The program is similar to a boot camp where they experience rigorous mental and physical challenges, including being tased, tackled, boxed, and pepper-sprayed. They also face a daily regime of mental tests and drills and difficult physical tests. CPR, first aid, proper use of force, and defensive tactics must also be mastered by the new recruits. After nearly five months of academy training and passing P.O.S.T. certification, they take their oath. Then, they have to qualify for a few more certifications prior to starting at the courts, including taser and firearms qualifications.
After all that, when they come to court, more training is required. They are assigned a field training officer who helps to teach them procedures specific to the courts.
Since the courts have many unique aspects, the marshals have to be prepared for a variety of scenarios. So they spend time in the civil, criminal, and family divisions. They learn proper procedures for jury trials, including jury sequestration and what is and is not permissible for media coverage. This training is essential to avoid the potential for a mistake that could result in a mistrial, court officials tell Channel 13.
Lieutenant Sean Wells oversees the training program and is a lifeline for recruits. He gives them an overview of what to expect and how to prepare successfully. He briefs them on proper procedures for equipment and uniforms, so recruits are aware of what they will encounter and know the endurance they will need to get through.
He says he also meets regularly with academy personnel to ensure recruits are on track.
Meantime, Wiese said the justice court will also be evaluating the courtrooms and identifying any necessary improvements that need to be done there.
To learn more about the requirements to become a court marshal, click here. To apply for positions, click here.
