Former police officer takes Metro to the cleaners with suit over $8.50

Keith Paul

Tuesday, April 18, 2000 | 10:44 a.m.

A former Metro Police officer, fired over an $8.50 dry cleaning bill, was awarded $328,500 by a Clark County jury in his lawsuit against the department.

Officer Mark Beckerle was arrested in 1996 on a misdemeanor petty larceny charge for sticking two fellow officers with an $8.50 bill for dry cleaning of some of his uniforms. He was later fired.

Beckerle admitted he did it, but he said he wasn't trying to steal, just play a practical joke.

A jury, finding the department liable on three counts including defamation, Friday awarded Beckerle $328,500.

Metro has the option to appeal the verdict, said Lt. Marc Joseph, a department spokesman. He declined further comment noting the case could be appealed.

Beckerle said he felt vindicated by the jury's ruling.

"It let Metro know they just can't do whatever they please. They are going to have to be accountable," he said.

A judge dismissed a wrongful termination claim against Metro -- a count Beckerle needed to win to attempt to get his job back. Beckerle said he will appeal that ruling.

Beckerle's attorney, Daniel Marks, said the jury's verdict should indicate that what happened with the dry cleaning bill was just a joke and not a criminal act.

Beckerle admits he used two other officers' names and accounts to avoid paying for dry cleaning of his Metro uniforms.

"I even told another officer to make sure they knew about it. I wanted them to know about it," he said. "It wouldn't be much of a practical joke if the people it was played on didn't know about it."

The two officers testified Beckerle didn't have permission to use their accounts, but they also admitted at a Justice Court trial in 1996 that they initially assumed Beckerle's actions were a practical joke.

Beckerle was acquitted of the misdemeanor theft charges.

Beckerle says he wants to come back and be a Metro officer again.

"It's something that was taken from me unrightfully. I was yanked out of my life by a knee-jerk reaction," he said.

Keith Paul covers crime and public safety for the Sun. He can be reached at (702) 259-4057 or by e-mail at keith@lasvegassun.com