For Immediate Release

USMS Headquarters Public Affairs (202) 307-9065

REMARKS BY U.S. MARSHALS DIRECTOR JOHN F. CLARK

AT THE LEFKOW CONFERENCE ROOM DEDICATION

WASHINGTON – Thank you Michael.  Judge Lefkow and family, Senior Judge Korcoras, Senior staff and distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, welcome to our headquarters and this special event.  We are honored to have you with us today.

In reflecting back over the events that brought us to this day, it occurred to me that one of my favorite scripture verses may apply.  In the book of Romans, chapter 12, verse 21 it says: “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”  That is the essence of this dedication ceremony; our ability to take a tragic event and turn it into a triumph where indeed we can be bold enough to say we are overcoming evil with good.

The room we dedicate today – the “Joan H. Lefkow Conference Room, in Memory of Michael F. Lefkow and Donna G. Humphrey” is part of that effort.  The conference room is part of our new Threat Management Center, or TMC, which was officially opened in September 2007.  It is important for all of you to know how this TMC went from concept to reality.

The tragic murders of Judge Lefkow’s husband Michael and mother Donna by a disgruntled litigant in the Northern District of Illinois was the evil act that brought much-needed attention to the safety and security of our nation’s federal judiciary.  Some of the attention and scrutiny was also given to how the U.S. Marshals were responding to and investigating threats directed at judges, U.S. Attorneys and Assistant U.S. Attorneys and others we are charged with protecting.  As a direct result of Judge Lefkow’s testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee and her advocacy to improve security for all judges, the Marshals Service received funding and resources to improve our protective efforts.  I can’t imagine how hard it must have been for her to testify and relive those dark hours, but I believe she knew it was the right thing to do.  The word courage comes to mind here.

I like how she explained it to a reporter for the Chicago Tribune.  She said, “I have finally found my voice in a way I didn’t have yet.  I don’t have forever to be an influence on other people.  Michael’s not there to speak, so I must speak louder.  I am less afraid.”

Because of her courage to speak out and her advocacy for reform in the protection of judges, things started to happen.  Home intrusion alarms were funded by Congress and placed in hundreds of judge’s homes across the country.  The Marshals Service began to receive some much needed funding to hire more threat investigators, protection specialists, analysts as well as support for more training, equipment and yes, a modern facility to analyze, investigate and track threats, our TMC. 

As you saw from the virtual tour of the TMC, it has all the tools and capabilities to help our field offices mitigate threats to the judiciary.  With a built in “SCIF” or Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility, we can now handle and process information up to national security level requirements from a variety of intelligence community and law enforcement partners.  As such, the TMC serves as a repository for all classified and non-classified information affecting the safety and security of the judiciary.  Our U.S. Marshals staff then collect, analyze and disseminate protective intelligence information to assist any of our 94 District offices in mitigating a threat.  As an added feature, we are now better postured to share and receive information on threateners with other law enforcement and intelligence agencies such as the FBI, CIA, Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Secret Service and the U.S.Capitol Police.  A nationwide collaboration with the National Sheriff’s Association seeks to link the TMC to their data bases as well.  Thanks to Judge Lefkow, the TMC bridges technology and good old fashion police work together making for a safer and more secure judicial system.

But by no means are we done.  It is my intention as Director to pursue funding and resources to keep improving our capabilities and to make sure we are doing everything possible to prevent another tragedy from happening.  While steady progress has been made, we must be ever vigilant and progressive in order to ensure we are provided the best possible protection to our nation’s judiciary.

Because of dangers that sometimes come with being a judicial official, the TMC is a much-needed tool in our effort to find and detect those who want to threaten our judges.  Last year, the U.S. Marshals Service investigated more than 1400 threats and inappropriate communications against judicial officials.  Some of them required an around-the-clock protective detail by Deputy U.S. Marshals.  Each and every case required some level of analytical or investigative work done by the staff at the TMC and our Deputy Marshals in the field.

Finally, I would like to take a moment to recognize our brave and dedicated Deputy Marshals, Protective Intelligence Investigators, Judicial Security Inspectors, Analysts, Security Specialists and administrative staff who work tirelessly to protect our 2,000 plus sitting judges, Supreme Court Justices while they travel and more than 5,200 other court officials in more than 400 court facilities around the country.  During the last 2 years, they have made significant improvements to our protective operations and they truly seek to make sure good overcomes evil and I am very proud of their work.

And to Judge Lefkow and family, please know that the memory of Michael and Donna will be an inspiration to all of us at the U.S. Marshals Service and it is with honor and respect that we today dedicate the TMC conference room in their memory.

Thank you.