Metro officer cleared in shooting of pair

Keith Paul

Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2001 | 11:13 a.m.

Metro Police's use-of-force board ruled an off-duty officer acted appropriately when he shot two men who were trying to rob him and another off-duty officer in the garage of a North Las Vegas home.

The board ruled unanimously last week that Officer Jim Boubon was within the department's deadly force policy when he wounded the two suspected robbers, Deputy Chief Ray Flynn said.

Boubon, 36, was at another off-duty officers North Las Vegas home Nov. 16 about 8 p.m. playing pool in the garage when two men came into the open garage armed with handguns. They had their faces covered, police said.

One of the gunmen placed a gun to the head of Officer Michael Springer, and the two started to struggle. Boubon fired shots and hit 18-year-old Chester Johnson in the head and legs and hit 20-year-old Taro Mitchell in the arm.

Johnson and Mitchell were charged with attempted robbery, burglary and conspiracy. Police believe the suspected robbers didn't know their would-be targets were off-duty officers.

The seven-member board -- composed of four citizens and three officers -- decides if officers have followed department policies when using deadly force. The board also makes recommendations to Sheriff Jerry Keller on possible punishment or re-training for officers who have violated the guidelines.

Boubon faced a use-of-force board since he is considered to be acting as a police officer when he fired even though he was off-duty at the time, Flynn said.

"He was carrying an approved off-duty weapon, which he had to qualify with before carrying," he said.

Last year in a five-month period, three separate shootings by officers were determined to have violated department policy prompting Keller to order all officers attend hours of training.

An officer was found in violation of the use-of-force policies for firing two shots into a pile of clothing while checking a car during a stop in April. No one was in the car, and no one was injured.

The board also ruled that a May shooting by an officer at a car being driven by a fleeing man violated policies. A passenger in the car was slightly injured by a bullet fragment, and the driver was not hurt.

An officer was found to have violated the department's policy when he also fired several shots at a car of a fleeing suspect in August. The driver was not hit by the officer's shots, but was charged with driving under the influence and other charges.

Last year the use-of-force board ruled on 13 cases. In 1999, the board ruled in 10 cases finding all of the officers had acted within department guidelines.