Keller to face Hitt in November

Art Nadler

Wednesday, Sept. 2, 1998 | 2:24 a.m.

His campaign literature vibrantly proclaimed in bright red letters: "Jerry Keller delivered!" And that's exactly what the voters did at the polls on Tuesday.

Sheriff Keller easily maintained a nearly 4 to 1 lead over his closest rival, retired Metropolitan Police Department lieutenant Bobbie Hitt, throughout the night. When the final results were tallied, Keller garnered 78,824 votes -- 61.74 percent -- compared to Hitt's 20,108 votes, or 15.75 percent of the precincts.

"This is certainly a reflection of the hard work of people who have given me their time," a grateful Keller, 52, said from his campaign headquarters at 4905 Alta Drive late Tuesday night. "My gratitude is also to the men and women of this (police) department."

Keller, a Republican, said one of his first priorities in his second term will be to start athletic programs for juveniles.

"These will build their self-esteem and help them develop skills for life," Keller said, adding that more than half of the problems with juveniles occur between 3 and 8 p.m. when they have nothing to do.

The sheriff touted a new computer system expected to be on line in six months. This will enable officers, he said, to call information up on criminal activity in their wards.

Having hired 371 officers for the department since he became sheriff, Keller said he'll add 200 more street policemen a year for the next couple years.

Hitt, 50, lead fellow Democrat Chuck Lee by about 2,000 votes early on in the race. He pulled away to win honors for a runoff general election with Keller in November. Lee received 16,660 votes, or 13.05 percent of the precincts.

Hitt could not be reached for comment and did not return phone messages.

Allan Rose, Chuck Lee's political consultant, said they expected a stronger showing in the outlying areas around Southern Nevada. They especially thought they would do well in Laughlin.

Rose attributed Hitt's second-place win to the candidate's negative advertising against Keller.

"Chuck always ran very positive ads," Rose said in defense of his candidate. "Chuck is very disappointed and didn't expect this to happen."

Rose said Lee will now throw his support to Hitt in the upcoming general election.

Hitt ran on a platform that would improve police officers' images in the community and make people feel safer in their homes. He spent $162,140 on his race of which $71,082 went to television commercials.

Lee, 62, is a former homicide detective from the Clark County Sheriff's Department and later Metro Police from 1968-83. He became a polygraph examiner and graduated valedictorian. Today, he is co-owner of the Courtesy Oldsmobile/ Isuzu dealership on Sahara Avenue.

Lee supported upgrading the present 911 system and not building a new $7 million communications facility, as proposed by Keller. He also wanted to keep police substations open 24 hours and have detectives trained in domestic violence on the premises at all times.

The former homicide detective advocated placing video equipment in the substations, so domestic violence victims' injuries could be recorded for court.

Lee borrowed $170,000 for his campaign and raised the rest from small businesses. Out of $225,365 in expenses, he spent $50,000 on television commercials.

Keller financed his campaign with $405,951. More than $170,000 came from the gaming industry.

Keller has been sheriff since January 1995. A 1969 graduate of UNLV, he began his Las Vegas police career that same year.