Monday, March 17, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.
The North Las Vegas City Council is waiting for its city manager to determine what disciplinary action to take, if any, against Police Chief Alan Nelson following his weekend arrest on a drunken driving charge.
Metro Police stopped Nelson on Lone Mountain Road near Torrey Pines Drive at 7:10 p.m. Friday after officers spotted his city-owned car allegedly being driven erratically, police said.
Officers said they smelled alcohol in the car and gave Nelson breath and field sobriety tests, which police said he failed.
Nelson was booked on a misdemeanor charge at the Las Vegas City Jail and later released. His court date was pending.
Mayor James Seastrand said today that Nelson's future is in the hands of City Manager Linda Hinson.
"If the city manager doesn't take action that the City Council feels is appropriate, the City Council may direct the city manager as to what to do," he said.
That action would come during a special closed personnel session, which would have to be called by either the mayor or three council members. At this point, Seastrand said, "I have no plans to do so." He said talk of a special meeting set for Tuesday was erroneous.
Reactions to Nelson's arrest have been strong.
"He gets what he deserves," said Metro Detective Gordon Martinez.
Martinez recalled two separate occasions in which he personally arrested police officers he caught driving drunk. Regarding Nelson, he said that of all citizens in the community, "he could have gotten a ride home with any patrolman anywhere."
"He knows what the law says, and if he breaks it, he has to pay the price," Martinez said.
Sandy Heverly of Stop DUI said she was shocked and in disbelief Saturday morning when she heard the news.
"It took me about a minute to comprehend what I was being told, and then I was overwhelmed with sadness because I was so concerned about the negative effect this would have on the department," she said.
Heverly has spent several years working with law enforcement, including the officers under Nelson's direction, in the fight against drunken driving.
"They are good officers, and they feel strongly about what they do," she said. "Police are held to a higher standard. The average person isn't required to take an oath for the job that they hold. Police promise to protect the community, and when you break that public trust, maybe it's time to consider doing another occupation or retiring."
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