Vegas Beat Magazine - July/August 2024

As we approach the hot summer months, I want to reflect on some of the amazing achievements of our Association. One of the most important topics of conversation around the LVPPA is membership. I often wonder what our membership numbers look like for the LVPPA. Understand that we are a right-to-work state, which means no one is forced to be a member of this, or any, association. With that said, we currently maintain a 96% total membership rate! That is an amazing number considering that officers are not forced to join, and we currently have over 3,500 officers with the LVMPD alone. Read More

As a follow-up to my last article, I want to share some additional information and some reporting requirements. Prompt reporting is the best way to get your claim accepted. One of the most common reasons for a denial is that the timelines for the injury or exposure were outside the reporting requirements. In most cases, officers say they felt like they hurt something during their shift but thought it would feel better in a day or two, so they failed to report it, only to find out a week or so later that they suffered an injury that requires medical attention — maybe even physical therapy or surgery. Read More

The Force Investigation Team (FIT) was created in late 2010 to take over the Department’s role in investigating officer-involved shootings and in-custody deaths. In the past, the Homicide section would investigate these cases for the agency and, in the case of officer-involved shootings, present the findings at a Coroner’s Inquest hearing as well as an internal Use of Force Board. Now their role is much different, as FIT only focuses on the criminal aspects of the investigation and the Critical Incident Review Team (CIRT) was created to handle the administrative investigation. Read More

I recently spoke to a member of the LVMPD Explorers program and an aspiring future officer in this community. I asked this young man why he wanted to be a police officer. His response was: “Well, I have grown up in a cop family and I have always admired my dad, and when I watched certain events unfold here in my city I was amazed at how the officers with LVMPD handled each incident.” He mentioned 1 October, the UNLV shooting and the murder of Officer Truong Thai as the incidents that stick out in his mind. He stated, “Forget about my dad being a police officer for a moment — I figured I want to do my part to help people.” 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. I would like to explain the criteria to be eligible for a LEAF scholarship, so there is no confusion. To be eligible to receive a LEAF scholarship, the recipient must be an immediate family member of a PPA member who donates recurring payroll deductions to the Law Enforcement Assistance Fund or makes monthly recurring donations through the LEAF website, leafcharity.org. Read More

Police officers play a critical role in maintaining law and order in society. As members of law enforcement, they are tasked with upholding justice, protecting communities and ensuring the safety of citizens. However, their influence extends beyond the streets they patrol. Police officers also have the power to shape the future of their profession and the communities they serve through political engagement. Police departments often face resource constraints that can impact their ability to effectively respond to crime and emergencies. Read More

The advancement of technology has made our career field easier and harder at the same time. Communication now can be instantaneous. We have evolved from a cop pushing a sled having to stop at 7-11 to use their phone to a beeper to a cellphone, Nextel chirp phones, FaceTime and so on. As cops, we are always looking for ways to make the job easier and streamline communications, sometimes to our detriment. Read More

Greetings, I hope this finds everyone well. At a recent Board of Directors meeting, we discussed the amount of time it is taking officers to receive Narcan replacements. The conversation then transitioned into how much Narcan we should be administering in the field and whether we can dispense too much. The conversation concluded with an opinion from the Executive Board that the Narcan you carry is intended for you and your partner. You should conserve your supply of Narcan in case you or another officer are exposed or show signs and symptoms of an exposure. Read More