Kept promise leads to three-way race for NLV constable

Thursday, Aug. 27, 1998 | 11:41 a.m.

For the first time in nearly a quarter of a century, voters in North Las Vegas will go to the polls and not see Lou Tabat's name on a ballot under the category of constable.

Tabat, fulfilling a campaign promise he made four years ago that his sixth term would be his last, retired April 30.

To fill Tabat's unexpired term, Herb Brown was selected over Steven Bergstrom in what was described as a tough choice by members of the Clark County Commission.

Voters in November might get that same tough choice. However Brown must first get past human resources worker Patricia Little in the Democratic primary.

Brown, 57, served as a U.S. Marshal locally from 1994-97 and was a North Las Vegas assistant police chief in the early 1990s. He is a North Las Vegas resident of 35 years and a member of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives and the International Association of Chiefs of Police.

Brown cites his experience in personnel management and budget containment as qualifications for the job.

Little, 60, has twice been elected to office -- the Nevada Assembly in 1985 and again in 1991. She lost Assembly bids in 1989 and '95. She also ran unsuccessfully for the state Senate in 1987 and '93.

Little vows to "restore credibility and public trust to the office." She cites her experience of working in a law office and in social services as qualifications for the constable's job.

Bergstrom, 45, is running unopposed as a Republican, and will get a walkover to the general election. A registered representative with Fortis Investors, he has California police officer certification. Bergstrom ran unsuccessfully for North Las Vegas City Council last year.

The job, which requires the serving of court papers and the overseeing of evictions, pays $2,500 a year plus the collection of fees for those services that could bring the annual salary to a maximum of $53,000.

In Henderson, incumbent Constable Earl Mitchell, 40, a Henderson Police officer, also gets a walkover to the runoff on the Republican side of the ledger. The 12-year police veteran also serves on the Fraternal Order of Police Board of Directors for the Injured Police Officers Fund.

Mitchell will face the winner of a Democratic showdown between locksmith/Deputy Constable Gene Altobella and retired UNLV Police Officer David Burress.

Altobella, 61, an Air Force veteran has served as a deputy constable in Las Vegas, Henderson and Boulder City for the past 10 years. Altobella, a Southern Nevada resident of 19 years, is a member of the National Constables Association. He vows to have an "open door policy" as constable.

Burress, 42, is a Valley High School graduate, who earned degrees in criminal justice from both Arizona Western College and UNLV and served as a Las Vegas deputy constable. He also worked as a court bailiff and private investigator. Burress has 18 years experience in law enforcement. He vows to run the office more efficiently.

The job pays $2,500 a year plus the collection of fees for the services, which do not have a ceiling like those in North Las Vegas.

In Laughlin, voters will have only one choice for constable, as incumbent Patrick Ketterer, 56, a Democrat, is running unopposed, just as he did in 1990 and '94.