Saturday, March 1, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.
Having sat back, listened and read the mindless rhetoric, I finally feel compelled to write and express the views of the employees of this department who are not in the public's eye and who are constantly in contact with the media.
I am a proud member of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. I have been employed since January 1980 and have seen this department grow just as the valley has grown. In my 17 years plus, I have had the opportunity to work a number of assignments, and most particularly the Training Bureau.
I would like to set the record straight on a number of topics that have been raised:
Regarding the Feb. 23 articles and graphic, I would like to point out that in the cases of Officers Hamblin, Jones and Pease THERE IS NO documented instances of misconduct. Their actions were found within legal guidelines of Nevada Law and LVMPD Department Policy. These findings were confirmed by citizen review; i.e. the Coroner's Inquest and the use of Force Review Board. These officers did their duty under the most extreme and difficult circumstances that any police officer can face during their career. To include these officers on a "tarnished badges" list is incredulous and totally irresponsible on your part and goes further to negatively influence the public against Metro without all of the facts of each incident being brought to light.
Sheriff Keller has addressed the issue of a Civilian Review Board a number of times. We have a number of outside "checks and balances" which are dominated by the citizens of this community; and they do a fine job.
Everyday we sit in briefing and discuss the issues that have come to the forefront lately: i.e. Sewall, Mortensen, Ramirez. The vast majority of employees of LVMPD all agree: These officers are grown adults and should know the difference between right and wrong. If a court of law should find them guilty, then so be it. They will get what is rightfully coming to them. If not, then again, the system works.
All of the employees in the purported laundry list total 31 names. Metro has approximately 3,000 employees. That amounts to 1 percent of the total work force. I defy any major corporation to have a record that good. One should also look at the "laundry list" from the perspective that everyone who did "get into trouble" was disciplined. It was not swept under the carpet or ignored.
As for the "20-year veteran" officer who says officers are afraid to make arrests for fear "they will be investigated for mishandling the arrests," give me a break! I have 12 extremely hard-working officers who work for me and they have no "fear" of making an arrest when it is warranted by probable cause (as all arrests must be). If the "20-year veteran" is afraid to make arrests, it's time to retire and find another job.
Contrary to popular belief, police officers do not sit in morning briefing and decide who they are going to "pick on," "harass," "shoot" or incarcerate that particular day. "You call and we haul" -- it is that simple. We are striving to make this community a better and safer place to work and live in, via all the resources at our disposal.
I was born, raised and educated in Las Vegas and would not want to live or work anywhere else in this country. I am also raising my family here. Why? Because of the men and women who I work with, trust my life to every day and my family's every night.
They care and they are excellent at what they do. I am aware that they know how to accomplish this because I had a specific role in the teaching and training of almost every officer who protects you while you sleep. I know the time, effort and painstaking work it takes to get these officers to where they are now.
To steal a line from a good friend and former academy staff member: "Being a cop is not easy. If it were, everyone would do it."
Sgt. Joseph Gemma Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department
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