Nevada Supreme Court Justice James Hardesty asked lawmakers for fund enhanced security for the court, saying the current limited protection by Capitol Police is not enough, reports the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “We receive lots of interesting mail and other issues that we have to deal with,” he told a joint Ways and Means and Senate Finance subcommittee reviewing the court's two-year budget proposal. The court has held off making a formal security request for three sessions, Hardesty told lawmakers. “But enough is enough,” he said. “And the security threats are real.”
In July, Supreme Court justices hired their own chief of police, who provides limited protection when justices travel for hearings outside of Carson City. Hardesty said the seven justices have no security when they leave the Capitol Complex or the Regional Justice Center in Las Vegas. The proposed Supreme Court budget would eliminate the approximately 1.5 equivalent positions provided now by the Capitol Police. Instead, the court has requested about $430,000 for 2.5 security positions. The officers would work under the justices' direct supervision.