CSN police chief at helm during theft probe taking UNLV post

By Emily Richmond

Monday, Feb. 15, 2010 | 2 a.m.

At a time when UNLV is braced for deep budget cuts and potential layoffs, the campus police chief has hired a former colleague to become his deputy assistant, a post that pays $103,000 annually.

The job went to Sandy Seda, the police chief at the College of Southern Nevada.

During Seda’s tenure at CSN, his department’s investigation into allegations of theft against CSN construction chief Bob Gilbert was characterized as “slipshod” by a District Court judge in 2009.

Seda spent six weeks on paid administrative leave as the college dealt with fallout from the criminal investigation, triggered by a Las Vegas Sun story about the theft of construction materials from CSN. At the time, CSN President Michael Richards said the decision to place Seda on leave temporarily was not directly related to the attorney general’s criminal investigation.

Four CSN employees — including Gilbert — face theft charges related to the alleged misuse of CSN property. During a hearing on the matter, a District Court judge last year questioned the intensity of the CSN police department investigation into Gilbert.

Seda said the college’s internal investigation “clearly vindicated me of any wrongdoing.”

He said he views his move to UNLV as a step up for his career, as he will be responsible for homeland security and all emergency response services and planning for the university.

“It’s a wonderful opportunity I didn’t want to pass up,” Seda said.

Seda’s hiring at UNLV comes as Gov. Jim Gibbons is calling for steep reductions in funding for higher education, which could result in forced furloughs and layoffs. The university is holding more than 200 positions vacant, including nearly 70 faculty spots. The assistant deputy police chief position was not part of the freeze.

The university’s 50-person police department includes a chief, an assistant chief and a deputy assistant chief overseeing 28 officers, five sergeants, two lieutenants and 12 office personnel.

Chief Jose Elique said that despite the budget crisis, he did not consider leaving the deputy assistant chief spot unfilled.

“If I lost this position I’d have one less cop,” Elique said. “We need more campus police officers, not less.”

Elique said the ratio of three upper-level supervisors to 47 rank-and-file employees has been a successful managerial structure for several years, helping UNLV develop its strong “service-oriented community policing operations.”

The No. 3 position has been open since the fall, when Dustin Olson left UNLV to become chief of police for the University of California, Santa Barbara.

To replace Olson, UNLV launched a national search handled by an outside firm. There were 97 applicants, and five finalists were selected for telephone interviews. From that group three individuals — including Seda — were invited to campus. Elique made the final selection.

More than a decade ago, when Elique was director of public safety for the 20 campuses in the City University of New York system, Seda was a lieutenant in the same headquarters. Later, Seda was named police chief of one of the campuses.

Elique said he was “very familiar” with Seda’s background, including his recent administrative leave at CSN.

“I am absolutely certain no basis for wrongdoing was cited,” Elique said.

Seda was in good standing with CSN when he left for the UNLV job.

He “dedicated himself to the college for the last eight years, helped create and build the CSN Police Department and has had a lasting impact,” CSN spokeswoman K.C. Brekken said in a written statement.

His familiarity with Southern Nevada and the state higher ed system means he can “hit the ground running” at UNLV, Elique said.

“I’m very glad to have him,” he said. “I have full confidence in his abilities.”

Investigation into theft

Seda was hired as CSN’s police chief in September 2002, and earned $121,704 annually.

Gilbert faces theft charges for allegedly using college equipment, materials and employees to build his Mount Charleston estate. Three CSN facilities employees — Thad Skinner, Matthew Goins, and George Casal — also face related charges for allegedly assisting with the thefts. The matter is scheduled for trial this summer.

Gilbert’s appointment at CSN ended June 30, 2009. Skinner’s appointment as a construction manager is scheduled to end June 30. Goins, a facility manager, resigned earlier this month. Casal, a building construction inspector, remains employed by CSN.

At a May 2009 hearing, District Court Judge Donald Mosley called the CSN campus police investigation “slipshod” and said it appeared as if the college’s primary aim had been to contain fallout from a Las Vegas Sun story.

Seda sent his deputy chief and a sergeant to inspect Gilbert’s 4.26-acre estate several days after the March 26, 2007, newspaper story raised questions about the construction work taking place.

“These people went up there to do a little damage control,” Mosley told defense attorneys during the hearing. “It was a rather self-serving investigation.”

In his interview with the Sun, Seda said didn’t think Mosley’s comment was a fair assessment.

“There were a lot of things that occurred during that investigation that he was not aware of,” Seda said. “However, he’s entitled to his opinion.”