Metro plans more counterterrorism cops with security

Keith Paul

Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2001 | 9:51 a.m.

Metro Police intelligence detectives will be trained on counterterrorism and obtain federal security clearances as the department tries to enhance its ability to investigate any future threats or attacks.

"We, as a department, have depended on one or two people who followed terrorism issues in the past, and I don't think in a community of this size that is good enough," Deputy Chief Bill Young, commander of the special operations bureau, said.

One of the first steps is to get several more detectives the security clearance needed to look at information labeled by the federal government as "secret."

Sheriff Jerry Keller said he discussed with FBI Director Robert Mueller the need for additional detectives and officers in the nations' police departments to go through the background checks to obtain the clearance.

Keller met with Mueller Nov. 16 to discuss recommendations made by the Major City Chiefs' Association.

"He agreed there is a need for more officers to get the clearances because without that clearance (federal agents) can't even talk to the detectives about the information," Keller said.

Several Metro officials who work with federal agencies already have the "secret" security clearance, and a few have a "top secret" clearance. Keller and Young said more Metro detectives need the security clearance to provide assistance to federal agents.

Young said Metro isn't trying to assume the FBI's jurisdiction in the battle against terrorism.

"The FBI has the primary responsibility for counterterrorism, and that is not going to change," he said. "We want to step up and assist. When we come across information, we have to have the ability to evaluate it."

After the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks the FBI discovered five of the terrorists -- including reputed ringleader Mohamed Atta -- spent time in Las Vegas at various times between May and August. Officials have not determined what the terrorists were doing in Las Vegas, but no information was uncovered that revealed the city as a target.

Metro detectives assisted FBI agents in various aspects of the investigation and are part of the Joint Terrorism Task Force with the FBI and other agencies.

"We work closely with Metro and welcome any assistance with the ongoing war on terrorism," Special Agent Daron W. Borst, a spokesman for the FBI's Las Vegas office, said.

Young would not reveal how many intelligence detectives would be trained or specifics on what they would do to fight terrorism.

"They could be pounding the pavement searching for suspected terrorists and assisting other agencies," he said. "If the situation arose that the FBI needed some of our officers, we have to be able to help in a meaningful way."