McDonald, Keller end public feud — sort of

Erin Neff

Monday, Oct. 4, 1999 | 11:29 a.m.

The words coming from Sheriff Jerry Keller and Councilman Michael McDonald last week sounded friendly enough.

But public makeup sessions from the two powerful local leaders on television news shows Friday didn't put an end to their differences, or to talk of breaking up Keller's Metro Police Department.

The bury-the-hatchet tour began with Friday's "Point of View Vegas" show where the two men talked together publicly for the first time in more than a year.

Talk of a city study examining formation of a Las Vegas police force fueled weeks of media attention -- including much focusing on the feud between Keller and his former cop McDonald.

"We've ironed out the differences," Keller said on "POV Vegas," the Las Vegas Sun's nightly news magazine show. "We are humans, too. We are adults, and we now are taking the leadership that the public has entrusted us with to resolve these issues and put the focus back where it belongs."

Keller and McDonald met for the first time in years Friday morning and decided to take steps to change the perception that their feud was somehow behind deconsolidation.

But both McDonald and Mayor Oscar Goodman made it clear Friday evening that deconsolidation of the city-county police department is "a possibility," as Goodman put it on Channel 10's "Nevada Week in Review."

"I would have to be shown that we would be getting far better police protection," Goodman said, referring to what a city study could show.

Meanwhile, city officials who are working on the study have said their preliminary data shows Las Vegas could save up to $15 million annually by splitting from Metro.

"When we open the books, it'll show exactly what we're trying to do," McDonald said on "POV."

Statements like that didn't make the friendly public appearance by Keller and McDonald look too friendly. The two looked straight ahead and didn't speak to each other when the camera wasn't rolling during the taping.

Andy Anderson, president of the Las Vegas Police Protective Association, was not calmed by the appearance of cooperation between his boss and the city leader.

"The only thing that we've heard from the 10th floor ... is we're waiting for a report," Anderson said on "Nevada Week in Review." "The response that our membership is looking for is more concrete."

But neither Goodman nor McDonald would give Anderson and Keller any assurance that Metro would remain intact.

Goodman said the study's findings would determine the City Council's course of action.

Clark County Commissioner Lance Malone took exception to the city's ability to call all the shots with respect to the police force funded with 53 percent county money and 42 percent city funds.

"We share that budget, and I think we should've been a part of that (study) all along," Malone said on "Nevada Week in Review."

Goodman said the study of Metro is simply another of the cost efficiency studies he has ordered for each city department. He said it is being conducted internally, and thus, he sees no reason to include Metro or the county until after the report is finished.

"There's no reason for dialogue," Goodman said.

The internal study, which began about six weeks ago, could be finished late this week or early next week.

Goodman promised to share the findings with Keller and the county when he receives the report.