Highway patrol trooper’s firing for dishonesty upheld

By Cy Ryan

Monday, July 13, 2009 | 2:26 p.m.

CARSON CITY – A state hearing officer has upheld the firing of a Nevada Highway Patrol trooper based on neglect of duty and dishonesty in an incident involving the failure to produce evidence at a court hearing in Las Vegas.

Hearing Officer Daniel Hussey found there was substantial evidence of “serious misconduct” on the part of officer James Glenn, a four-year veteran of the patrol.

Glenn received a subpoena in May 2008 to pick up blood samples in a drunken driving case and bring them to Las Vegas Justice Court on June 8, 2008. Glenn showed up in court without the samples.

He then told Deputy City Attorney Vincent Ginn and defense attorney Tony Like that the evidence was in his car. He left the courtroom, allegedly to return with the evidence. But he never came back. Instead, he went home.

An investigation showed Glenn never picked up the blood samples from the lab as ordered by the subpoena.

Glenn, at the session before Hearing Officer Hussey, said he thought he told the lawyers the evidence was not in his car.

Hussey, in his decision, said Glenn’s conduct showed he was dishonest.

Glenn had been suspended for 40 hours in a prior disciplinary case in December 2006 when he radioed in that he was on Interstate 215 when he was actually at his home.