The possibility of violence was old news in Salt Lake City. A courthouse escapee killed an attorney 20 years ago and white supremacists are suspected of making threats in the past year against federal prosecutors in a racketeering case.
In Utah, the state has taken the lead in judicial security by constructing state-of-the-art courthouses. The federal government has lagged behind - one of the major arguments for replacing the overcrowded Frank E. Moss U.S. Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City is the historic building's lack of modern security features.
The new state courthouse in West Jordan, which opened last week, shows how architecture and technology can make the justice system safer. It is designed to move three sets of people separately: members of the public, judges and staff members, and prisoners.
"Certain groups of people cannot cross paths except in the courtroom," said Kevin Miller of GSBS Architects, which designed the building.
An intermediate level built between the second and third floors is used only by security officers and inmates. Prisoners are transported by jail vans or buses to their hearings and brought up to this level by a nonpublic elevator.
Once there, they are moved through a series of hallways and elevators into courtrooms. Elevators and doors can be locked down in case of an escape attempt.
"If an inmate tries to flee from us, they can't go up or down," Salt Lake County sheriff's Sgt. Jim Everett said.
Other security measures include 112 surveillance cameras almost everywhere, except the bathrooms.
Capt. George Q. Nielsen of the sheriff's office said courthouse security is a constant concern, especially as population growth and the corresponding increase in cases have brought more serious threats.
More than 800,000 people a year visit the Scott M. Matheson courthouse in Salt Lake City, and another 200,000 are expected annually at the West Jordan facility.
"We're always getting new technology in the way of video, advances in metal detector systems and surveillance," he said. "Some of the security steps go unpublicized. Others are visible to everyone who steps inside a courthouse."
The most obvious safety measures are the metal detectors at the doors, where 13,000 weapons were turned away at Matheson last year, and the security officers, who receive intensive training.
Third District Judge Sheila McCleve says she is cautious about security, but concentrates on dispensing justice.
"You can't keep it in the forefront of your mind," she said of possible threats. "Your job is to uphold the law and be fair."
A defendant who had become an informant to lessen his sentence approached her at a mall once, the judge said, but fortunately was happy to see her. Another defendant might have been more ominous.
"You can get explicit threats from people with mental problems, and I have," she said. "I would be surprised if a judge hadn't."
At the Moss courthouse, federal judges and prosecutors have faced their share. Magistrate Samuel Alba says a November melee in his courtroom by a dozen shackled and handcuffed defendants sparked his concern about judicial security.
The brawl broke out after Alba told the men, incarcerated while awaiting trial on racketeering charges, that their family visits and phone calls were being cut off because of threats against prosecutors. The prisoners, who are suspected of being part of a white supremacist gang, shouted obscenities and scuffled with marshals before being subdued.
"These actions by the defendants constituted a very serious threat," Alba testified in May at a U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee hearing. Federal judges around the nation have complained about inadequate budgets leading to inadequate protection both in the courtroom and at home.
Alba became more concerned when authorities told him gang members or sympathizers likely would try to retaliate. However, his request for a home security system was turned down by Marshals Service officials because no funds were available. Instead, he and his wife spent their own money to install alarms, Alba said.
The magistrate did praise marshals for their concern, a factor that makes Alba's colleague U.S. District Judge David Winder feel safe. The attentiveness of security officers and marshals help overcome any shortcomings caused by the physical features of the courthouse, he said.
"Our security does an outstanding job," he said.
pmanson@sltrib.com
