Editorial: Right step on police oversight

Thursday, Dec. 28, 2000 | 9:58 a.m.

It is promising that North Las Vegas Police Chief Joey Tillmon said last week he would support the establishment of a citizens review board to investigate officer-involved shootings. As Sun reporter Diana Sahagun noted in a story last week, if an officer fires his weapon, the North Las Vegas Police Department refers the incident to a review board made up solely of police officers. The matter is considered an internal investigation, which means the findings aren't released to the public.

The existing review by the department isn't adequate. Residents need to be reassured that if a police officer wrongly fires his weapon or engages in misconduct, the public will know about it. Otherwise there will be lingering suspicion, even in cases where it may not be justified, that the department is simply protecting its own from punishment. Just as is the case with other professional disciplinary boards, if there isn't openness and representatives of the public aren't on these panels, there always will be doubts about how tough they actually are.

North Las Vegas residents would be well served if a citizens review board is set up along the lines of what was created for Metro Police. A majority of citizens, who aren't connected to Metro Police, are on that review panel. While the findings of the board are released, the discipline meted out normally isn't made public unless the officer is fired.

After the Nevada Legislature allowed for the creation of a citizens review board for Metro Police, it took considerable time before it actually was put in place. Disputes about the powers and composition of the board contributed to the delays, so it shouldn't be surprising if there will be debates regarding a North Las Vegas Police citizens review board. It is critical, now that Tillmon has given his support, that the police department, the Nevada ACLU, the local NAACP chapter and other groups immediately work together so they can help create a panel that will earn the trust of police officers and the citizens they serve.