Vegas Beat Magazine - November/December 2023

It seems like just yesterday I was saying that 2022 had flown by, and now here we are, publishing our last issue of Vegas Beat for 2023. This has certainly been another busy year, and as we enter the holiday season and focus on giving thanks for the many gifts in our lives, I’m filled with gratitude for each and every one of our PPA members; our Board of Directors, delegates and staff; and all of our partners and supporters who have helped to make it a very successful one as well. Read More

Has anyone besides me noticed that, unlike rank-and-file officers, supervisors always make it through probation? I know of a few supervisors who have been “non-confirmed” for legitimate conduct issues, but I can’t think of one who has been “non-confirmed” for not meeting standards. Officers are “washed out” of the field training program on a regular basis. Read More

Whatever you want to call a discharge of a firearm that was not an intentional action, one of the four firearms safety rules must have been violated. Clearly, in our field of policing, an unintentional discharge can lead to very serious and sometimes deadly consequences. We have seen this all throughout the country in training scenarios. Not one agency or tenure of officer is immune to human error. Human error is exactly what an unintentional discharge is. Read More

A few years ago, a good friend of mine had the scare of his life. His wife was diagnosed with a serious medical condition. At first he kept this to himself, because he did not want to bother anyone with his family problems. When he finally let his supervisor know what was happening, he was going to use FMLA so he could take care of his family. Read More

This issue’s article will go over how Catastrophic (CAT) Leave works. The LVPPA administers CAT Leave to commissioned employees, and I take the lead on CAT Leave within the PPA. Myron Hamm also often assists with CCDC requests for CAT Leave. CAT Leave is a benefit that members may qualify for, but it is not an “automatic” benefit of hours that every member receives. Read More

If you’ve been on the Department for more than a year, you have probably experienced or know someone who has gone through the workers’ compensation process. We get calls frequently from members who are dealing with an on-the-job injury. Overwhelmingly, the feedback from them has been negative, as they are forced to fight to get their injuries taken care of. Read More

In many ways, social media has been a societal game-changer in the 21st century. Most people spend hours a day scrolling and posting across the many platforms, catching up with friends and keeping informed on current events. For law enforcement officers, if not handled properly, social media can land them in the crosshairs of their police department and, in some cases, the federal government. Read More

“Shots fired.” Have you heard those two words broadcast over the radio? If so, you know the flood of emotions and thought processes running through your mind as you race to your partners who are in the middle of it. Sometimes it is unexpected. Sometimes there is a degree of buildup, and it is not much of a surprise. Pushing a black-and-white is without question the most dangerous job in this department. Read More

Greetings, and I hope this finds you well. As we approach the holiday season, many of us are preparing for holiday get-togethers, family gatherings, gift-giving and reflecting on the year. However, with all the chaos that comes with the season, people can also experience anxiety and depression. The badge we wear on our chest does not provide us with immunity from worry and sorrow as we interact with the public during our shift. We all battle the same challenges as the rest of our Las Vegas community, albeit in silence while we distance ourselves and raise our internal defenses. Read More