Former Las Vegas Police Chief Allen dies at 85

Wednesday, June 20, 2001 | 10:26 a.m.

Former Las Vegas Police chief and Clark County Assistant Sheriff George W. Allen Jr., who oversaw the merger of the Las Vegas Police Department and Clark County Sheriff's Office 28 years ago, died Monday at Mountainview Hospital. He was 85.

Allen, who was assigned Metro Badge No. P-1 when the departments merged, also served three times as the Las Vegas chief of police -- in 1953, 1955 and 1956 -- and as assistant chief in 1960.

Services for the Las Vegas resident of 58 years will be 9:30 a.m. Friday at Palm Mortuary-Cheyenne. A graveside service will be 11:30 a.m. at the Southern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Boulder City.

"George was one of the founding fathers of Metro's consolidation," said Metro Lt. Dennis Larsen, who began his career with the Las Vegas force in 1971. "George was a man you could always count on. He would examine all of the facts before making a decision he felt was in everyone's best interest."

Allen was hired by the police department on April 23, 1946, and retired on July 1, 1976, three years to the day after the two local law enforcement agencies merged. Allen had served on the committee on police consolidation, which was opposed by a significant number of officers.

"I was sure consolidation of the police departments was the right way to go, even though there were some who don't agree," Allen told the Sun in 1976. Officers argued over everything from which department leader would be the top boss to the proposed colors of the uniforms and police cars.

After the merger, Allen served as Metro's assistant sheriff of staff operations under Sheriff Ralph Lamb.

Born Oct. 10, 1915, in Media, Pa., Allen was an Army veteran of World War II. He was assigned to Nellis Air Force Base in 1943. He joined the Las Vegas Police Department at a starting salary of $190 per month and was assigned to downtown patrol. In 1948 Allen was promoted to lieutenant of the detective bureau.

Allen, who in July 1998 attended the 25th anniversary celebration of Metro Police at the MGM Grand, was a member of the Masons, Shriners and the Police Protective Association.

He is survived by his wife, Golda Allen of Las Vegas; three daughters, Georgia Haynes of Las Vegas, Patricia Giamanco of Boulder City and Theresa Lemon of Janesville, Calif.; a sister Sarah Ann Brown of Dover, Del., 11 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

The family requests donations to the Shriners in Allen's memory.