Controversy follows Arizona sheriff into duel with NLV constable

Controversy is following Sheriff Joe Arpaio to Clark County.

The Maricopa County, Ariz., chief law enforcement officer is scheduled to speak at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Mojave High School, 5302 Goldfield St.

That's not the problem.

The glitch came when Steve Bergstrom, candidate for the North Las Vegas constable post, advertised on signs lining Camino Al Norte that Arpaio was coming to town for a rally to endorse him.

That would constitute a political rally, which according to Ray Willis, spokesman for the Clark County School District, is against district policy.

It was Herb Brown, the incumbent constable, who said he made the school district aware of Bergstrom's upcoming rally.

But Bergstrom says Arpaio's speech is not a political rally, and he has removed the endorsement wording from his signs and fliers advertising the event.

"We've made it open to the public, and we're not here to make money off it or get an endorsement," Bergstrom said. "And I've taken down the notices that say (Arpaio) for Steve Bergstrom. We've made sure that we're correct on that and in accordance."

Bergstrom said he filed the forms necessary to bring Arpaio to the campus.

Willis said he is checking to see if a rule is being broken.

"We have an open ended use permit policy. Pretty much anyone can use our facilities, even for commercial purposes if they can pay for it," said Willis. "But political usage is outside the bounds of the agreement."

Willis said he will have to look at the initial request made by Bergstrom.

"But even if it was requested on a non-political basis, with the new information we will have to take a closer look," he said.

Arpaio is known as the "toughest sheriff in America" for his controversial "tent city" jails and hard-core tactics such as chain gangs and a ban on cigarettes for prisoners.

"He has 3,500 volunteers and 54 different groups of posses," Bergstrom said.

Bergstrom, who is paying for Arpaio's visit, doesn't know what kind of turnout to expect Tuesday.

"I don't know if there are going to be 50 people there or 2,000," he said. "People go bananas around here about the idea of having involvement ... I think people are thrilled to have him here."

Bergstrom said he is bringing Arpaio in to talk about how the quality of residents' lives can be improved through the use of volunteers, "not to support Steve Bergstrom."

Bergstrom said the only reason Arpaio might not speak Tuesday is if "something happens in Maricopa County."

Bergstrom, 47, who is a Republican, has said he wants to reduce crime in North Las Vegas through the use of trained volunteers, and he wants to use the constable's office to do it.

His opponent, however, says the purpose of the constable's office is to serve court papers, not serve as law enforcement.

Brown, who is running on the Democratic ticket to hold his current position, said the constable's office has nothing to do with stopping criminal activity.

"(As a constable) he doesn't have the authority to do what he wants to do," Brown said, referring to his opponent.

Bergstrom, however, says he is not out to start a third branch of law enforcement.

"I in no way want to compete with existing law enforcement agencies," he said.

Brown, 57, has said he believes the way to deter crime is to have community involvement with the police.

The 35-year resident was appointed to the constable's office over Bergstrom, a four-year resident, by the Clark County Commission, following longtime constable Lou Tabat's retirement in April.

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