Suits settled for $145,000

Mathis Winkler

Thursday, Dec. 6, 2001 | 9:07 a.m.

The North Las Vegas City Council Wednesday unanimously approved lawsuit settlements totaling $145,000.

The council agreed to pay $95,000 to three North Las Vegas Police officers who sued the city alleging sexual harassment by another officer, as well as $50,000 to a man hurt in a car accident that involved a city employee.

The three police officers, Robert Aker, Michael Blackwell and Robert Kryszczuk, allege that fellow police officer John Armstrong sexually harassed them in 1998 and claim that city officials failed to promptly investigate the allegations and protect the men from harassment.

Armstrong was fired from the department on Nov. 12, 1998, after being found guilty of harassment by city officials.

He had already been fired once from the department in 1997 after police administrators accused him of inappropriately handling a domestic violence call. An arbitrator later ordered the city to rehire Armstrong after reviewing that incident.

Armstrong denies the allegations of sexual harassment and has filed his own lawsuit against the city, alleging that he never had the chance to present his side of the story to an arbitrator.

As a result of the lawsuit, arbitration has now been set for June.

Along with other council critics, Armstrong also complained about Mayor Michael Montandon's decision to hold public comment on the settlements until the end of Wednesday's City Council meeting.

"It doesn't do me any good to tell you about the lies (the three officers) tell when you've already made your decision," he said.

Montandon said after the meeting that a recent "abuse" of the public's right to speak at meetings had made him decide to strictly follow the state's open meeting law rather than give people ample time to speak.

City Attorney Sean McGowan said the law only requires meetings to be accessible to everyone and include an opportunity for public comment, but leaves it up to the mayor to decide whether to let people speak at other times during a meeting.

McGowan added that the three police officers gave depositions and sworn testimonies about their alleged harassment by Armstrong and added that the dollar amounts depended on the severity of the allegations.

While Acker will receive $75,000, Kryszczuk will get $15,000 and Blackwell $5,000. None of the men spoke at the meeting.

In a separate settlement, the council also approved a $50,000 payment to plaintiff John Meyer, who sued the city over a car accident involving an unidentified city employee.