Tuesday, March 18, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.
North Las Vegas Police Chief Alan Nelson, arrested over the weekend on a drunken driving charge, retired this morning after a meeting with City Manager Linda Hinson.
A source said Nelson, a 24-year veteran, was not forced to retire and that he did so out of "embarrassment" for his actions and for the good of the department.
"I intend to appoint an acting chief on a rotational basis of 30-day increments," Hinson said in a news release following the meeting.
Deputy Chiefs Timothy Ryan and Jose Tronscoso will rotate as acting chief, beginning with Ryan effective today, Hinson said.
Meanwhile, a nationwide search for a replacement will be conducted, Hinson said.
"It is my intent to obtain an independent counseling firm that specializes in the recruitment of candidates for the chief-of-police position," she said.
Earlier, North Las Vegas Mayor James Seastrand had suggested that Nelson resign, but said the decision was up to Hinson.
"I did not ask for him to resign," Seastrand said. "But I think that Nelson would serve himself and the community best if he resigned."
After Nelson's retirement, Seastrand said: "I feel badly that we are losing such an experienced and capable police officer. However, the respect would not have been there."
Nelson was in a meeting at City Hall about 7:45 a.m. today with Hinson and staff members to discuss disciplinary action, a city spokeswoman said. Instead, he handed over his written resignation.
Nelson, 58, had driven from a sports lounge on Rancho Drive at 7:10 p.m. Friday after watching a televised game with friends when he was stopped by a Metro Police patrol officer on Lone Mountain Road near Torrey Pines Drive, just blocks from his home. Officers said they smelled alcohol and gave Nelson breath and field sobriety tests, which Metro said he failed.
A source said Nelson was "barely over the legal limit" for alcohol consumption.
Nelson was cited on a charge of driving under the influence and booked into the Las Vegas City Jail where he was released on his own recognizance. Metro Sgt. Will Minor said that while Nelson identified himself to the officer, he was not belligerent.
A court date for Nelson had not been set in Las Vegas Municipal Court on the misdemeanor charge because the paperwork had not yet been received from Metro, a city attorney spokeswoman said today.
Nelson was driving a city-owned vehicle assigned to him.
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