Vegas Beat Magazine - July/August 2023

I hope that 2023 has been a great year so far for all our members and their families. This is the first President’s Message I am writing under a new Sheriff with new ideas for our agency. As is customary in my position, working with the administration is a daily occurrence. As it was with Sheriff Lombardo and his team, your Executive Board has been in constant contact with the upper administration quite frequently. Read More

The simple answer is yes! If you have work that has to be completed outside of your normal shift, the Department understands it must pay you overtime for that time worked. For example: A traffic officer is required to review an arrest packet prior to arriving to court so you can potentially testify on the case, and you are on your RDO. This time does not have to be preapproved, because there is an expectation by the Department and the court to give an accurate account of the reasons for arrest, the probable cause for the arrest and the circumstances for the stop in the first place. Read More

Recently, I was talking to a friend of mine who works as a captain for a major agency in South Florida. We were discussing several force analysis cases and talking about recent use-of-force trends that we have seen — mainly focusing on the internal analysis and review, as well as how supervisors, from the first-line supervision to the executive staff, view and react to use-of-force events. Throughout the discussion, it became clear that, on opposite sides of the country and doing the same job on opposite levels, we focused on a very glaring fact. Read More

Years ago, the Metro Academies used to participate in a series of spirited events known as the PO vs. CO Academy challenge. There were numerous events, such as the push-up and sit-up challenge, 100-yard dash and relay races. During my first four weeks of the Academy, the TAC staff kept pushing us to be motivated to beat the PO Academy. I heard stories about how the games were really competitive and at times even contentious. We were told a story that at the previous games, the Patrol Academy, while marching in formation, began to chant, “Look to the left and what do I see? A bunch of PO wannabes.” Read More

Every year, the Law Enforcement Assistance Fund (LEAF) gives out $30,000 in scholarships to deserving immediate family members of PPA members. These scholarships are paid for out of the LEAF account and not the PPA account. This year’s scholarships were presented at the annual Police vs. Fire charity tackle football game. We would like to continue this tradition and again present the scholarships at next year’s game. I would like to explain the criteria to be eligible for a LEAF scholarship so there is no confusion. Read More

One of the most scrutinized and important tasks an officer undertakes is using force upon a resistive suspect. Despite all the public affairs stuff that occurs with modern policing, the most important part of policing, the thing that cannot be replaced, is the requirement for someone to intervene appropriately, at times with force, to stop individuals within the community who must be placed into custody. Read More

The legislative session is now over, and I am back from Carson City. Overall, I enjoyed the lobbying experience very much and feel like I got a college degree’s worth of knowledge crammed into 120 days. One of the most important things I learned is that relationships matter when it comes lobbying and getting our name out there. Also, how I carry myself in and out of the legislative building does make a difference in how legislators perceive me and the group I represent. Read More

The Association’s ongoing mission is to provide our members with the best benefits and services. The LVPPA represents our members throughout officer-involved shooting response/investigations; in-custody death response/investigations; pre-termination, non-confirmation and civil service hearings; arbitration processes; contract negotiations; legislative matters; and administrative hearings such as Internal Affairs, Vehicle Collision Board and Diversity. Read More

Greetings; I hope this finds everyone well. I want to use this opportunity to discuss the LVPPA’s member database, to provide an idea of what we use it for and why it is important to keep it updated. Additionally, I would like to explain a new tool we are offering with the database and how it may benefit you. We have a licensing agreement with a software company that has been in the customer management and record retention business for more than 30 years. The program was implemented about 10 years ago. Read More