The Regional Justice Center and Family Court have thousands of visitors each day. Hundreds of inmates are transported to and from the court facilities each business day for hearings and trials. The wheels of justice need a significant and well-trained team of marshals to ensure that they run safely and smoothly.
The expectations are high and need is great for the team that protects justice. Five newly-minted marshals know first-hand what it takes to join that team. Roman Hand, Meng Lee, Nicole Palacio, Konrad Polak and Ryan Trujillo recently completed a five-month category I peace officer training at the Southern Desert Regional Police Academy sponsored by the court. Roman Hand received special recognition as most athletic in the academy class 2024-01 and Meng Lee received special recognition with the marksmanship award. The intensive training has enabled the new marshals to hit the ground running ready to tackle the rigors of what can at times be an intense job.
“We are happy to have this new group of academy graduates join our team. In the academy, they showed they have what it takes to be successful marshals,” said Chief Marshal Thomas Newsome. “We are looking to bring in and train more recruits to meet our mission to protect the courts. I encourage those who have what it takes and want to learn the skills needed to join the law enforcement profession, to apply.”
What it takes to join the team that protects justice
To get started, recruits go through an application and interview process, physical fitness assessment, and background process to include polygraph examination, psychological assessment, drug testing, and medical physical. If they get through 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 test and drills and difficult physical tests. They must meet the highest academic standards. They must complete CPR, first aid, use of force, and defensive tactics must be mastered by the new recruits. They are trained through a series of real-life scenarios and drill that test their mental and physical acuity.
After nearly five months of academy training and passing P.O.S.T. certification, they swear their oath to support, protect and defend the Constitution and Government of the United States, and the Constitution and government of the State of Nevada. Then, they have to qualify for a few more certifications prior to starting at the courts, including taser and firearms qualifications.
When a new academy graduate begins work at the court, the learning continues. They are assigned a field training officer who helps to teach them the duties and responsibilities of a deputy marshal. The court has many facets and 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.
Lieutenant Sean Wells and Sergeant Tim Spies oversee the training program and are a lifeline for recruits. They provide them an overview of what to expect and how to prepare successfully. They review policy and procedure, as well as Nevada Revised Statute. They ensure all recruits receive proper equipment and uniforms, and review academy procedure to provide them with realistic expectations of what they will encounter and the endurance necessary for success. They also assist with academy training, and meet regularly with academy personnel to ensure recruits are making the grade.
A new group of six recruits is getting ready to begin their training program and head down the path to taking that oath. Serving as a District Court deputy marshal is a great way to get training and experience while having a meaningful career with benefits. We wish our new marshals tremendous success in their new careers. Others who may want to serve the community and protect justice, are invited to apply to the District Court Human Resources Division at https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/clarkcounty/jobs/3602878/bailiff-deputy-marshal/apply?page=1&pagetype=jobOpportunitiesJobs or scan this QR code.
