This article is going to talk about what I feel is the myth surrounding LVMPD being the best-trained police department in the country. While I do not feel our training is anywhere near where it should be, this does not mean we do not start out as one of the best-trained departments in the country. I believe that the instruction and training that our officers get in the Academy are second to none. We spend a long time learning and practically applying things that we are given over the course of six months.

When coming out of the Academy, officers have a great base for tactics, policy, search and seizure, and defensive and firearms tactics. The instructors who teach at the Academy do a great job and have so much good information to pass along. Many hours of these teachings are spent drilling them time and again during those six months. Multiple repetitions for any skill set are how that skill set becomes part of you. With such a heavy emphasis put on new officers at the Academy, one would think that that same emphasis is applied throughout an officer’s entire career. Sadly, we know this is not the case. I think after we leave the Academy, we lose those amazing skills we obtained in the Academy.

Getting on the streets and handling calls for service or impacting hotspot areas becomes more important than keeping your skill set in good working order. It would appear that our agency feels that if it was taught to you in the Academy, you would always have those skill sets. That is an amazingly horrible thought process. Look at any pro athlete in any sport. They do not train for six months, become very proficient at their craft and then just stop until the day comes for a game or match. If a fighter in the UFC developed their skills and no longer had a fight camp to train and prepare for their upcoming fight, they would stand no chance at victory.

The truth is skill sets need to be continually developed and practiced over thousands of hours of time. Repetition over repetition is the only way to maintain your training. Once our officers graduate from the Academy, the most training they get is in front of a computer screen through UMLV.

When we look at the officers who work in areas such as FTTU, AOST, RBT, MACTAC and others, they can pass along some great training to our officers. But we only go four times a year to the range to stay proficient in handling and using our firearm, which is the highest level of force we have. We do defensive tactics four times a year, but every quarter is different, so you only really skill-build a specific tactic one time a year.

We do RBT/AOST once a year to apply our thought processes and training in real-world-based scenarios. And then we spend countless hours on UMLV, getting nonsense classes and only very few good ones that challenge our retention of Department policy and case law.

Most of the classes are merely to satisfy some outside group that probably isn’t all that law enforcement friendly anyway. Training days with structured training fall by the wayside for DP units or pet projects in the community. But every time we skip training, we lose or diminish our skill set. When an officer is involved in a case that goes to a use of force/tactical review board, the CIRT team always brings up our officers’ training. However, they fail to recognize how little we actually train and blame officers for things they trained on five years ago in the Academy or read in UMLV.

Policy changes happen frequently but are rarely hammered home with kinesthetic training/hands-on training so that the new policy has been ingrained in the officer. I have observed the use-of-force policy change several times over my career, and the only training given is a new document and a sign-off sheet to acknowledge you got the policy change. And our agency and the public wonder why officers make mistakes!

We are not getting the proper amount of training to truthfully say that our officers are the best-trained police department in the country. We could be, though. It may mean one day, a few extra 416b calls hold because a squad is continuing to build their critical skill set rather than hitting the streets to clear up calls.

Of course, we all recognize that our agency is down bodies. But if we want the best response to a police call for service, we need to provide our citizens with the genuinely best-trained police officers that we can. That training doesn’t come from a computer screen. It comes from real training days, with real direction and real application. For now, I would advise you to seek out your own training. Whether it is coming to the PPA to train with Chad Lyman, going up to the range or getting together as a squad on your own time to train, you need to do something to increase the likelihood of you winning an engagement during your tour of duty. Stay safe and train.

Typically, the members of the Executive Board write their articles for publication. This article will be different. After 15-plus years of service to the community and LVMPD, my amazing wife, Tiffany Grammas, retired from her position as your dispatcher. I wanted to give her a forum to write an article addressed to those who have meant so much to her, those being her officers on the other end of the radio. To my wife, thank you for the 15 years of dedicated service to the community and to my members, as well as being an amazing mother and wife. I am so proud to say that I have been lucky enough to be your husband, as we not only celebrate your retirement, but also 20 years of marriage. I love you with all of my heart.

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My name is Tiffany Grammas, and I have had the pleasure of being your dispatcher for the past 15 years. Unfortunately, my career is coming to an end; the constant stress and mental fatigue that this job has caused has taken its toll. A dispatcher’s job requires us to be at our best at all times, and when that is not possible, it is time to clock out. I was given this opportunity by my husband to write a little article to thank the officers and to explain what being a dispatcher has meant to me.

Some may know me by name, some may know me by voice and others may never have worked with me before, but being a dispatcher has been the most rewarding job I have ever had. A good dispatcher will make it look easy, but I can assure you it is not. It was crucial for me to be in tune with my officers, to anticipate what your needs were before you knew what they would be. 

Being able to tell something was wrong just by the tone of your voice. Getting a C4 from you for the fifth time just so I could hear your voice to know that you were OK. Making sure I checked the 82 list before assigning you to a call (because we all know that is the most important part). Making sure I gave you every detail on a call and knowing all the people involved prior to you arriving so I could be prepared for what we were dealing with. Double-checking the status monitors over and over to make sure you were at the location you were supposed to be, not because I wanted to be nosy, but because I wanted to make sure I knew exactly where you all were in case something happened. Worrying about you on every call and every car stop until the incident was over just so we could do it all over again. Making sure I did everything in my power to make sure you made it home to your family. This, to me, is being a great dispatcher.

Not many people have the privilege of saying that they have worked with the very best, but I can. Thank you for allowing me to be a part of your world. You all deserve a thank-you because now more than ever, your job and your work is underappreciated. So to all of you out there, thank you for everything you do. Thank you for making the choice to protect and serve. Thank you for doing what so many of us are not brave enough to do. Thank you for putting your community above your family. It has been a pleasure to work with you‚ laugh with you and talk with you. I wish you all the best of luck!

I hope the holiday season was extremely enjoyable for all of you and your families. For the last eight years, every turn of the calendar found us still under the leadership of Sheriff Lombardo. This will be a first for all of us since 2015 that we have a new leader for our organization.

My time as president of the LVPPA has solely been working with Sheriff Lombardo, and with that came a level of comfort in knowing exactly how to work with and navigate our boss. 2023 brings us all a new sheriff. Before I speak about what I believe we can expect from Sheriff McMahill and his team, I want to acknowledge the hard work, effort and long career of Sheriff (now Governor) Lombardo.

Our old boss could have been content with riding off into the sunset and retiring from public service, doing some lawn work or chores around the house. Instead, he chose to undertake the daunting task of running for governor of our great state. Let me tell those who are not aware that running as a Republican candidate in a heavily dominated Democratic state could have been an insurmountable task. Adding to the fact that Sisolak was the incumbent, this was an almost improbable win for Joe. However, he and his team kept grinding the entire campaign trail and won the Governor’s Mansion. Sheriff Lombardo was the only nonincumbent governor candidate to unseat the sitting governor! This was so important to law enforcement because those same politicians who came after our profession in the special session and the 2021 legislative session had big plans to attack police officers in the 2023 session.

Now we have a governor who will no longer allow radical politicians to pass laws hurting cops and supporting criminals. We owe Joe a big thank-you for protecting cops and citizens for at least the next four years. Congratulations, Governor Lombardo, and we look forward to your leadership in our state.

Now, on to our new sheriff. I have known, worked around and worked with Sheriff McMahill for many of my 24 years at LVMPD. What can we expect? I can tell you that Sheriff McMahill really, truly cares about the employees at LVMPD. I believe he lives by the thought that if you take care of, both personally and professionally, those who work for you, they will excel and perform at their highest levels. 

I believe we will see his executive team emulate that thought process as well, including Undersheriff Andy Walsh. For many months since Sheriff McMahill was elected, we have had many conversations about the health and well-being of our employees. His stance has not changed one bit since announcing his run for sheriff to his acceptance of LVPPA’s endorsement to now, as he takes office.

One thing that Sheriff McMahill and Undersheriff Walsh do very well is listening to the troops. For any organization to succeed, whether it be public or private sector, those who lead must know that the ideas of the line-level workers must be heard, accepted and, in many situations, implemented. It is not the administrator who sits behind a desk who has the answers as to how best to solve the problems on the streets. It is the day-to-day officer who can guide that issue and work with the administrators to implement those changes.

Our new leadership not only understands this concept but has already acted upon it. I believe we will see new uniforms, a new wellness bureau to take care of the hearts and minds of our officers and a commitment to compensate our employees in a way no other sheriff has before. They have committed to stand with the LVPPA and fight for longevity, pay raises and increases to the things that matter most to our officers. I know the Executive Board of the PPA shares my hope and optimism for the next four years. Time will tell how good the future will be. Know, however, as friendly as we are now, if the time comes for the PPA to do what we do best and fight for our members against the Department, we will not hesitate! But I am hopeful that we do not find ourselves in those situations and can have smooth sailing for the next four years.

Thank you all for your continued support and membership. Our numbers for membership are at all-time highs, and it is because of your faith in us to continue to represent you. I want to thank the Executive Board — Scott, Bryan, Myron, John, Chad, Dan, Greg and Bob — for making our Association the premiere organization in this state and one of the best, if not the best, in the country.

Thank you also to Laura, Roy and Adella for all of their hard work on the day-to-day operations at the office, as well as Kelly and David for everything they do fighting for our members. It is because of them that we are successful. Have a great 2023, and be safe!

This magazine will be our last edition for 2022. I am sure all our readers will agree that it seems like 2022 has flown by. As we enter the holiday season, a time for family, friends, thankfulness and appreciation for all the gifts in our lives, I wanted to post an acceptance speech from Chris Pratt after winning an award for his role in a movie.

The speech was from 2018 at the MTV Movie & TV Awards. Pratt has starred in many movies, such as Guardians of the Galaxy and Jurassic Park. From my research, Pratt is also a huge supporter of law enforcement and very appreciative and grateful for the jobs our police officers do across the country. Chris’ own brother is a police officer and has been for around 18 years.

As we have observed from many in Hollywood, several award shows have taken the time to attack or speak ill of our profession. Pratt himself has even been attacked because of his support of his brother and the law enforcement community. This award acceptance speech touches so many different levels of every person walking this earth today, and with the holidays coming, I thought it was a good time to share it with our members. Pratt said: 

“This being the Generation Award, I’m … going to cut to the chase, and I’m going to speak to you, the next generation, OK? I accept the responsibility as your elder, so listen up. This is what I call ‘nine rules from Chris Pratt, Generation Award winner’:

1. Breathe. If you don’t, you’ll suffocate.
2. You have a soul. Be careful with it.
3. Don’t be a turd. If you’re strong, be a protector. And if you’re smart, be a humble influencer. Strength and intelligence can be weapons, and do not wield them against the weak. That makes you a bully. Be bigger than that.
4. When giving a dog medicine, put the medicine in a little piece of hamburger. They won’t even know they’re eating medicine.
5. It doesn’t matter what it is — earn it. A good deed. Reach out to someone in pain. Be of service. It feels good, and it’s good for your soul. 
6. God is real. God loves you. God wants the best for you. Believe that. I do.
7. If you have to poop at a party, but you’re embarrassed because you’re going to stink up the bathroom, just do what I do. Lock the door. Sit down. Get all the pee out first, OK? And then, once all the pee is done, poop. Flush. Boom. You minimize the amount of time that the poop is touching the air because if you poop first, it takes you longer to pee, and then you’re peeing on top of it, stirring it up. The poop particles create a cloud that goes out, and then everyone at the party will know that you pooped. Just — just trust me — it’s science.  
8. Learn to pray. It’s easy, and it’s so good for your soul.
9. And finally, nobody is perfect. People are going to tell you, ‘You’re perfect just the way you are.’ You’re not! You are imperfect. You always will be. But there is a powerful force that designed you that way. And if you’re willing to accept that, you will have grace. And grace is a gift. And like the freedom that we enjoy in this country, that grace was paid for with somebody else’s blood. Do not forget it. Don’t take it for granted.

God bless you. Please get home safely.”

I hope you all can relate to this post in some way and are able to take something away from it. It is both humorous and sincere. Live your own life that way. Be dedicated but have fun. 

Life, like 2022, flies by fast. I have watched this agency grow for over 24 years, watched my marriage grow for almost 20 and watched my children grow for 18 years. Enjoy life, enjoy work and enjoy each other. Stay safe out there, and have a wonderful holiday season.

P.S. RIP, Snookie. You were always a solid man, a solid friend and a solid cop. You will be missed.

September marks National Suicide Prevention and Awareness Month. Law enforcement officers and other first responders are more likely to die by suicide than in the line of duty. According to law enforcement mental advocacy organization Blue H.E.L.P., 105 officers have died by suicide so far this year. In 2021, we lost 179 brothers and sisters who took their own lives, and 186 the year before that. Tragically, 2019 saw the most suicides, with a staggering 248.¹

What is the cause behind this troubling trend? How can we get these numbers down? Most importantly, what can we do to support our colleagues who are struggling?

As you may be aware, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) runs rampant in the profession due to daily on-the-job stressors, such as officer-involved shootings, fatal accidents, catastrophic events, repeated exposure to violence and trauma, long shift hours and more. Add to that the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, anti-law-enforcement sentiment, lack of support from city and government officials, and recruitment and retention challenges in the past few years, and you have a workforce that is struggling under an untold amount of pressure and stress.

According to the DOJ’s COPS Office, if untreated, PTSD can negatively affect an officer’s well-being and performance of their duties. What’s more, long-term effects of the disease include behavioral dysfunction, such as substance abuse, aggression and suicide.² It is estimated that between 7% and 35% of officers in the U.S. are affected by PTSD and depression.³

Given these harrowing statistics and facts, it’s plain to see that now, more than ever, officers need to be encouraged by police leaders, colleagues and partners to seek help when they need it — before it’s too late. The stigma surrounding mental health struggles and suicide is unfortunately deeply rooted in our profession, causing many officers to “man up” and ignore or downplay any physical, behavioral or emotional indicators of PTSD. These officers may put on a brave face on the job, but inside, they are suffering in silence. This suffering can manifest itself in many terrible ways.

It’s time to break the stigma around these issues in law enforcement; it’s time to educate our officers on the mental health and wellness tools that are available to them and encourage them to seek them out. Our Department has its Police Employee Assistance Program (PEAP), a crisis intervention/counseling and referral service for employees and their immediate family members. However, if you’re concerned about the potential privacy concerns that Dan Coyne brings up in his article, “A More Discreet Option,” there are fortunately other free resources available, with many tailored toward law enforcement. In addition to the alternative Dan discusses, 911 At Ease International, here are a few more to add to your list:

• 911 At Ease International: Provides first responders and their family members with access to free, professional, confidential, local, trauma-informed counseling and therapy. Call (888) 283-2734 or find out more at 911AEI.org.
• 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Offers 24/7, free, confidential support for people in distress, plus prevention and crisis resources. Dial 9-8-8 to connect with a crisis counselor. For more info, visit 988lifeline.org.
• CopLine: A 24/7, 100% confidential helpline for officers and their families, answered by retired police officers. Contact (800) 267-5463 or visit copline.org.
• Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741 to connect with a live, trained crisis counselor. For more info, visit crisistextline.org.
• Safe Call Now: A confidential, comprehensive, 24-hour crisis referral service for all public safety employees, emergency services personnel and their family members nationwide. Contact (206) 459-3020 or visit safecallnowusa.org.
• Veterans Crisis Line: Confidential, 24/7 hotline for military veterans to reach caring, qualified responders with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, many of them veterans themselves. Dial 9-8-8 then press 1, or text 838255. For more info, visit veteranscrisisline.net.⁴

If you or someone you know may be experiencing suicidal thoughts, please refer to the list above for support, or contact your LVPPA representatives. We are available 24/7 to help you through whatever you’re going through. Next time you see your partner struggling or having a bad day, take the time to ask them how they’re doing, and if they need help, encourage them to talk to a mental health professional, peer supporter, chaplain or a trained crisis counselor. Together, we can help our brother and sister officers and ensure that they suffer in silence no more.

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References

¹Visit bluehelp.org/the-numbers for more statistics.
²Volanti, J. “PTSD Among Police Officers: Impact on Critical Decision Making” (2018). Community Policing Dispatch. Retrieved from tinyurl.com/3t3cddw2.
³Lilly, M. and Curry S. “Survey: What Is the State of Officer Mental Health in 2020?” (14 September 2020). Police 1. Retrieved from tinyurl.com/4hkh9h9b.
⁴List of mental health resources courtesy of American Police Beat (apbweb.com).

In early February, Dan Coyne and I were having lengthy discussions about how to raise money for our LEAF charity. We wanted to come up with some new ideas on how to increase the revenue for the charity so that we could continue to offer the support to the families of our brothers and sisters who have lost their lives in the line of duty, as well as expand on our scholarships provided to our members’ children.

While we were standing in front of one of the office staff members’ desks, I saw two old flyers for the Police vs. Fire charity football game from the ’70s. It was then that I turned to Dan and said, “Why don’t we play this game again?” And 39 years after the last game was played, we began down the road of setting up the revised Police vs. Fire charity football game.

As we rolled through this process, we started looking at the history of the game. We were extremely fortunate to have retired officer and former player Roy Chandler come to the office and talk to us about the beginning of the game. Roy provided us with all the available programs from all 10 of the previous games, which were full of pictures and sponsorships for the games. Two of the programs were special to me, as I was able to see pictures of my father, who played in two of the games in the early ’80s. 

We learned how this game began and why it started. Before the first game, a firefighter had a child who was going through dialysis treatment in Utah for their illness. At the time, there was no dialysis treatment at UMC or anywhere else in the state, which forced the fellow first responder and his family to have to routinely drive to Utah to get the treatment for their child.

The two sides came together and formulated the idea for a football game that would be used as a fundraiser to help UMC purchase its own dialysis machine. At the conclusion of the game, they had raised enough money to buy three dialysis machines for UMC. As the game continued year after year, a new charity or charitable issue was the focal point of the game. Over time, contrary to what people have heard, it was not injuries that stopped the game from being played. It was becoming too costly to play the game, and not making enough money to cover those costs ultimately stopped the annual game.

This year, we were happy and excited to be able to restart this tradition and play the 11th annual Police vs. Fire charity football game, with proceeds supporting the Law Enforcement Assistance Fund (LEAF), Professional Firefighters of Nevada, the Children’s Heart Foundation and the Bonanza High School football team. We hope this game continues. We know it will! The turnout P# 2704 for the game was amazing, and the sponsors who got on board with us with such short notice were greatly needed and appreciated. Next year’s game will be bigger and better, as we want to create an event, not just a game. Stay tuned for the 2023 Police vs. Fire charity football game!

On May 7 at 7 p.m., members of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department will play a charity tackle football game against fellow first responders from the Professional Firefighters of Nevada. This game used to be played back in the late ’70s and early ’80s. All the games were very competitive, but over time, the game fell by the wayside and was no longer played. We have been told that one of the reasons the game was played was to help raise money to buy medical equipment for UMC. This was noted as one of the worthiest fundraising efforts between police officers and firefighters in Nevada.

After many years have passed since the last game was played, the PPA and PFFN have gotten together to bring this amazing game back to the city of Las Vegas. Both teams are playing for their respective charities. The winner of the game gets a 60% share of proceeds raised, while the loser will get 40% (better known as fire’s cut). We are also playing for the Children’s Heart Foundation. This group has been a major contributor in helping children who have heart ailments or defects go on to lead great lives. Through P# 12897 this process, I have been fortunate enough to learn that we have several officers on our agency whose children have taken part in the treatments from the Children’s Heart Foundation.

The PPA and PFFN have gotten together to bring this amazing game back.

The LVMPD team is composed of some extremely talented people. Experience ranges from NFL to semi-pro, arena, Division I college, Division II college and high school football. I have had the privilege of watching our team practice, and it is no wonder that all the oddsmakers have made our team a 35-point favorite to win this game. 

The goal for the game is to raise money for our charities and have an amazing time at the event, coupled with some very good football. To get involved, go to LVPPA.com and purchase tickets. We want to pack the stands at Bonanza High School for this game and bring awareness to our charities. We also have a 50/50 cash raffle, which will take place at halftime (winner need not be present). We will be selling commemorative T-shirts for the game as well. Bonanza High School will be selling great food for concessions, and we will even have a shaved ice/Dole Whip station. The first thousand people to attend will be given a commemorative item to remember this amazing event.

I want to take this month’s article to talk about the level of support from a first-line supervisor, and how I have witnessed a downward trend of outward support from sergeants when it matters the most.

I am going to make up a fictional scenario, but potentially one that many of you may have experienced.

Officer A goes on a call for service. Upon arrival, the officer is confronted with a scenario that requires the officer to use some form of force. Maybe it is just hand-to-hand striking or, in the most extreme of cases, the use of deadly force. Whatever the case, the officer notifies their first-line supervisor. The sergeant acknowledges the use of force and responds to the scene. Upon arrival at the scene, the sergeant gets a full debrief of what took place during the use of force. The sergeant tells Officer A that everything looks good and within policy. The sergeant tells the officer to do their blue team and submit it to them.

I have witnessed a downward trend of outward support from sergeants when it matters the most.

Officer A goes back to the station and writes up their blue team. After a few revisions from the sergeant to the officer, a final version of the use of force is completed and approved by the sergeant. The sergeant tells you “Great job out there on this call” and leaves you to have no questions about the incident.

A few days go by and the sergeant tells you that the lieutenant was asking some questions about the use of force. The sergeant tells you that they went to bat for you on the case because they knew everything that happened. Eventually, someone along the line has a problem with the use of force and opens an SOC on you for excessive use of force. You ask your sergeant how this could be and they tell you, “Do not worry about this. I reviewed the entire case, to include BWC, and you were absolutely within policy, and I will tell anyone how I feel that you did nothing wrong.”

Through the investigative process — which often is outcome driven as opposed to fact finding — you get sustained and receive a suspension for your actions. Your sergeant tells you that this is BS and that you should fight it. You agree and get with the PPA, and we launch a grievance. The PPA investigator talks with your sergeant and gets an extremely supportive statement from them about how your conduct was within policy and that they had no issues with your use of force.

A date is then set for arbitration. A few days prior, David Roger meets with your sergeant, as they are our witness, and speaks with them about the case. In this meeting, the sergeant, unbeknownst to you, starts to change their tune a little about the use of force and how maybe you could have done something different, but generally, the use of force was within policy.

The day of the arbitration comes and the sergeant is now on the stand ready to testify. Now, the sergeant’s story changes quite a bit and appears to the arbitrator that they feel your use of force was not within policy and you should have done something different. The case now becomes an absolute loss, and you, the officer, are stuck with a three-year reminder in your file that the sergeant who said they had your back turned out to have no backbone and refused to do what was right under threat or perceived fear of retaliation against them, leaving you standing alone with the minor suspension.

Now this is not the case for every supervisor. There are some who have no issue standing up for what is right when they need to. But for the ones who have the great aspirations of rising through the ranks of LVMPD, they will bend to the Department’s wishes, or, as we have had before, call us a day or two before an arbitration and ask to bow out of testifying.

I hope that this, like many things, changes back to the way it used to be where supervisors cared more about what is right as opposed to doing what is best for them and their career. Time will tell.

With last year in our rearview mirror, 2022 is a chance to reset and start fresh after 2021 had many of us limping to the finish line. It’s no secret that the past year was a whirlwind for law enforcement around the country. COVID-19 — and the vaccines, variants and deaths that have come with it — continues to take a toll on our personal and professional lives.

Violence against officers has also reached an all-time high in 2021. It was reported (tinyurl.com/4uh9487j) that over 300 officers were shot in the line of duty as of December 1, including 95 ambush-style attacks — a 126% increase compared to 2020.

Attacks against law enforcement have always been an issue, but the violence is at a level I’ve never seen in my 23 years here at LVMPD.

When you add in the lack of support we receive from some of our politicians and the slap on the wrist many criminals receive for their abhorrent actions, it’s no wonder we’re seeing officers leaving the profession in droves. A recent survey (tinyurl.com/2p983s4j) of nearly 200 departments by the Police Executive Research Forum, a nonprofit think tank, shows a staggering 45% increase in the retirement rate and a nearly 20% increase in resignations in 2020–21 compared to the year prior.

All the keyboard warriors and Monday morning quarterbacks have never had to strap on a bulletproof vest and risk their own personal safety for someone they have never met.

Despite what the media claims, law enforcement is still one of the most honorable professions out there. All the keyboard warriors and Monday morning quarterbacks have never had to strap on a bulletproof vest and risk their own personal safety for someone they have never met. Let those people run their mouths in the media because when push comes to shove, real heroes wear a badge. They aren’t actors or journalists or sports figures. The real heroes are the everyday first responders who do a dangerous job to keep our community safe.

As your LVPPA president, I see firsthand all the retirements and resignations, and it gives me some concern that we are losing so many officers so rapidly. The Department, along with the City and the County, should be thinking of ways to incentivize police work even more than they already have. Bringing back longevity would be a great start in that direction, a topic that both sheriff’s candidates have stated they would be willing to support in future contract negotiations. But I am also grateful that every officer who was able to retire on their own has made it safely through this dangerous profession and can now spend their days doing things they have always dreamed about doing.

To all our retirees this year, have a wonderful retirement. You have most certainly earned it.

There’s no doubt we’ve been through a tough year, but we will walk into the new year with a renewed sense of who we are as a profession and why we do what we do. As always, thank you all for your continued membership and trust in the PPA. Have a great year, and please be safe.

I hope this last article of 2021 finds all our members healthy and happy. This has been a tough year for law enforcement, especially for the LVMPD. We lost three of our officers and one sergeant to COVID. I never thought in my 23 years here at LVMPD that we would be losing officers to a deadly disease. As officers, we prepare for dangerous and violent encounters all year long. But this COVID sickness has become a deadly encounter that, in some people, you can not prepare for. We do not know how many more people COVID will take from us, but I am hopeful we can come through this point in our lives in a positive way.

The PPA has been able to start rolling out our usual events for our members and their families with the restrictions easing up on gatherings. We look forward to our first-ever partnership with Opportunity Village for our Santa Day event. Look for the flyer for this event (see page 15), as it will be one of a kind for our membership. We are also happy to roll out our response to New Year’s Eve. Last year, 50% of the Executive Board was quarantined with COVID, and we were unable to do our normal New Year’s Eve experience. This year, health permitting, we will have our normal three stations of food and hot beverages rolled out to support your efforts on the Strip and downtown.

We had several retirements this past year as well. I am always happy to attend our officers’ retirement events, as it means one more officer was able to make it through this career safely and is allowed to enjoy their time free of law enforcement. Congratulations to all of those officers who are successfully navigating waking up when you want and not needing to report to a work shift.

Make 2022 the year of trying the things that scare you the most, whether it’s testing to promote or testing for that specialized unit.

One retirement that is especially important to our membership, as well as to me, is the retirement of Brian Grammas. Brian is my older brother and a person who I have always looked up to in my life. He came to the Executive Board of the PPA in 2017 and has spent the last four years working on our Health Trust, working as our treasurer and assisting members in their IAB interviews, as well as being our expert on the Citizen Review Board. I know he has enjoyed his time here at the PPA, helping members and bringing his sense of humor to the Executive Board, which made coming to work every day enjoyable. Brian will be missed by all of us, but probably no one more than me. Being able to work with my brother has really been an honor for me. We served together in Narcotics, and we serve together now as he closes out his career after 25 years in law enforcement. Please, shoot BG a text or email congratulating him on his retirement coming up December 28. Love you, brother. 

I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season. I hope you all continue to strive for greatness in everything you do. Make 2022 the year of trying the things that scare you the most, whether it’s testing to promote or testing for that specialized unit. Make this the year you go for it. There was a movie quote where someone said, “You regret 100% of the chances you didn’t take.” Take a chance in 2022! Thank you all for your membership and continued support of the LVPPA.