Rights groups renew call for police review board

Group leaders say they're encouraged by this year's approval of a review board in Clark County, where the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department has been criticized by some for its handling of allegations of police misconduct.

They say Reno police's handling of crowds at the Hot August Nights classic car festival over the last two years points out the need for such a board.

Reno police were accused of arresting a disproportionate number of minorities at this year's event and of using excessive force at last year's event.

"We need something to give us a higher level of confidence," said local NAACP chapter president Lonnie Feemster, adding his group is dissatisfied with internal investigations of alleged police misconduct.

Richard Siegel, vice president of the ACLU of Nevada, said an independent review board can only improve public confidence in police.

He said a review process can't be controlled by police who become "the complaint department, the judge, the jury and then in almost every case the exonerator. The police gain nothing from that because they gain distrust."

But Washoe County Sheriff Richard Kirkland said he thinks a review board is unnecessary.

"When you demonstrate to me that there is a need ... (and) show me that the current system is broke ... we can talk about fixing it," he said.

Deputy Reno Police Chief Jim Weston welcomed the proposal, however.

"Our opinion is whatever the city and the community would like is fine with us," he said. "If they think another board is needed, that's fine.

"We don't think the extra layers of oversight would add anything, but we're not in a position to say this is a good or a bad thing."

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