Search and rescue chief retires

Jace Radke

Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2001 | 9:53 a.m.

For the past 15 years Metro Police Lt. Dwight Mahan has had a built-in excuse to get out of doing weekend projects around the house.

As supervisor of Metro's search and rescue and air support units, Mahan has had to respond at all hours to hundreds of rescues in the mountains and deserts of Southern Nevada.

"You plan on doing something, but then you have a rescue to do, so things tend to get put off," Mahan said. "I think my wife has a whole list of things that will keep me busy."

The 35-year Metro veteran will soon be starting on the list after retiring today from a career that included visits with presidents, the 1981 Las Vegas Hilton fire and rescues.

In 1966 Mahan began his law-enforcement career in the Clark County Sheriff's Department, which merged in 1973 with the Las Vegas Police Department to form Metro.

On the night of Feb. 10, 1981, Mahan was thrown into one of Las Vegas' most well-known tragedies, when he served as incident commander at the Hilton fire. The fire killed eight people and sent more than 100 to area hospitals.

"We had a motor home that we were using for a command post, and we parked it right behind the old rotunda at the convention center," Mahan said. "The first thing I did was grab the most junior officer I could find, and put him at the door. I told him not to let anyone in, so we could concentrate on the situation."

Mahan was also part of the first incarnation of Metro's SWAT team in the early '70s, and later was tabbed to help originate the department's special events squad.

While with the special events squad in early '80s, Mahan coordinated security for visiting dignitaries including the King of Sweden, and Presidents Ronald Reagan and George Bush.

He recalled being invited into the Reagans' room at the Sands before Reagan became president.

"I was sitting on the edge of a bed and he was talking about the price of gold going up, and then Nancy came in wearing a housecoat and sat down next to me.

"When I went to leave, Mrs. Reagan made me take a fruit basket, so when I went back out into the hall to work, it was with this giant fruit basket."

In 1986 Mahan was transferred to the search and rescue and air support unit, supervising what is now a fleet of six helicopters and one airplane, 14 pilots and about 60 search and rescue volunteers.

Sgt. Clint Bassett has headed up the search and rescue unit with Mahan for the past 12 years, and credits the lieutenant with setting the groundwork for a unit that makes more than 130 rescues annually.

"I met him on that first SWAT team when I was a little grunt, rookie," Bassett said. "He implemented the rules, including training and accountability, so it made it real easy for me to step in. I had planned on becoming a lieutenant, and he was going to be a captain, but I think we both just found a home in this unit."

"It's been a good career," Mahan said, surrounded by helicopters in Metro's air support hangar at the North Las Vegas Airport. "The people in this unit chose to be here. They enjoy the job like I do, and that made it fun to come to work.

"You still get to go out and catch the bad guys in this unit, but you also get to rescue people who are happy to see you, and that doesn't always happen."