U.S. District Court chief clerk Markus Zimmer said the federal court facility in Salt Lake City is covered by two agencies. The U.S. Marshal's Office is responsible for judicial security as well as security for criminal suspects while the Federal Protective Service patrols the perimeter of the building and parking lot as well as monitors vehicles, such as trucks.

Security of federal judges became a hot issue earlier this month when a Chicago federal judge's husband and mother were found shot in her suburban home.

While initially a jailed white supremacist was suspected for threatening to hire a hit on the judge, a letter written by a 57-year-old man who shot himself claims responsibility after the judge threw out a medical malpractice suit he had filed.

"We won't discuss the security aspects of our job," said U.S. Marshal Salt Lake office Chief Deputy James Thompson. "We take security precautions in instances of a heightened state of alert," he added, referring to the Chicago shootings.

Thompson would not confirm if U.S. marshals who provide court security carry sidearms, but he did say his office keeps an eye on court incidents to learn and improve security.

"All that you can do is learn from that and improve security measures using the latest technology and methods to improve safety," Thompson said.

Kennard, who serves as president of the National Sheriffs Association, plans to find out the exact circumstances in the Atlanta shootings to bring them up with the association.

"I can't take the chance" of something like that happening here, he said.

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Contributing: Jesse Hyde

E-mail: jdougherty@desnews.com; gfattah@desnews.com; preavy@desnews.com