Constable race focuses on plan for volunteer force to do police work

Lisa Snedeker

Monday, Oct. 19, 1998 | 11:23 a.m.

Steve Bergstrom wants to clean up crime in North Las Vegas.

And he wants to use the constable's office to do it.

"Metropolitan areas have learned you just don't have the money to hire police or pay someone $45,000 a year for a nonessential position," Bergstrom said.

The former Santa Rosa, Calif., police officer said he thinks trained volunteers can be used for everything from keeping the peace at high school football games to mall patrol, thus freeing up police officers to catch criminals.

"Mayor Montandon fully endorses me in these ideas," he said.

Mayor Michael Montandon confirmed that he does support the Republican constable candidate's ideas, along with Bergstrom's bid for office.

But not everyone wants to see the constable's office turned into a volunteer reserve police force.

"My opponent is concerned that I'm mingling in areas I shouldn't be," Bergstrom said.

That is exactly North Las Vegas Constable Herb Brown's concern as well as Police Chief Joey Tillmon.

"I don't know his intentions," Tillmon said, referring to some of Bergstrom's campaign tactics, including circulating a flier stating that murders in the city are up 100 percent. "I don't know where he got his information. Our stats show nothing about what he's saying."

Bergstrom acknowledged that his flier reflects statistics from 1997, rather than the most recent ones, which showed a slight decrease in North Las Vegas crime. "Even if there is a small downturn (in crime), the numbers are still significant," he said.

Brown says the primary purpose of the constable's office is to serve court papers, not search warrants.

In a release Brown prepared for the media concerning his office, he wrote: "The North Las Vegas Constable's Office is an extension of North Las Vegas Justice Court, and we execute all orders of the court and serve civil processes."

Those processes include summons and complaints for civil cases and small claims, garnishment and eviction notices.

"Landlords are our primary customers, and when they request our services through Justice Court, we are legally obligated to fulfill orders of the court," the statement continues. "However, we fully explain to each tenant their rights and who they should contact for help when eviction notices are served."

Brown, who is running on the Democratic ticket to hold his current position, said the constable's office has nothing to do with stopping criminal activity.

"(As a constable) he doesn't have the authority to do what he wants to do," Brown said referring to his opponent.

Bergstrom, however, says he is not out to start a third branch of law enforcement.

"I in no way want to compete with existing law-enforcement agencies," he said.

But, he said, as an elected law-enforcement official, he could speak to the public and the City Council about issues concerning residents, such as raising the quality of life without raising taxes through the use of volunteers.

"Citizens are not allowed to volunteer for something as simple as assisting in sign-ordinance enforcement," Bergstrom said.

"I'm not here to be at odds with the police. I'm pro-law enforcement."

To see how he's trying to prove his point, all one has to do is drive down any major route in the city. Residents are barraged by political signs, but Bergstrom has taken his campaign one step further.

In addition to his "constable on patrol" sign, in classic Burma-Shave style lining Craig Road, Bergstrom has placed one of his green-and-yellow campaign signs, which is followed by a cardboard cutout of famed Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio, which is immediately followed by a sign announcing a meeting with "America's No. 1 Sheriff" on Oct. 27.

"Sheriff Arpaio is coming in to talk about ways to address crime other than with taxes," Bergstrom said. "He's going to come in and give success stories about volunteer positions."

Arpaio is known as the "toughest sheriff in America" for his "tent city" jails and hard-core tactics such as chain gangs and a ban on cigarettes for prisoners.

Bergstrom said that, unlike other parts of the country, constables in Clark County for the most part aren't working individuals. "I want to bring back integrity to the office," he said.

Brown, however, counters that since he was appointed to the office by the Clark County Commission, following Lou Tabat's retirement in April, he has been a working constable.

"Evictions are hard -- especially when there are children involved," he said.

Brown brings with him more than 26 years of law-enforcement experience, including a stint as North Las Vegas assistant chief of police. Before taking the constable position, he served as a former U.S. marshal for the District of Nevada -- a position he was appointed to by President Clinton.

Brown, 57, says he believes the way to deter crime is to have community involvement with the police.

A 35-year resident, Brown is married. He and his wife, Everlena, have two sons and five grandchildren.

Bergstrom, 47, who said he is a post-certified, Level 1 police officer and a financial-investment consultant, has lived in Las Vegas with his wife Nancy and seven children for four years.