Citizen Review Board chief: Metro is filtering information

Jace Radke

Tuesday, May 22, 2001 | 10:35 a.m.

The executive director of the Citizen Review Board said Metro Police are filtering public information, and the police union is allowing the advisory group to hear only one side of the story regarding complaints against the department.

Andrea Beckman made the comments Monday on the Sun's news discussion program "Face to Face with Jon Ralston" on Las Vegas ONE, Cox cable channels 1 and 39.

"The purpose of this board is not to be a witch-hunting committee," Beckman said. "It's not only to protect citizen's rights, it's also to protect officer's rights."

John Harper, attorney for the Police Protective Association, has advised officers not to appear at review board hearings. He said the board is predisposed to rule against officers.

Beckman disagreed. She said 47 of the 50 cases that have come before the review board have either been dismissed, or the board has concurred with the findings of Metro's Internal Affairs Bureau.

"I know if someone wrongly accused me of something, I would want to step forward and say it was false, and here's why," Beckman said.

She said Harper was not being fair when he said the board is not following the ordinance and is not providing officers due process. Beckman said that Harper must not have read the ordinance because it states the board chair can determine whether an officer and his attorney can be present throughout a meeting.

Beckman also said the idea that the review board should go through only the captain of Metro's internal affairs bureau for records and information relating to complaints was inappropriate.

"We're not a paramilitary organization, and we don't have to follow a chain of command," Beckman said. "I think it's totally inappropriate for me or any of the board members to be denied access when any other citizen can pick up the phone and call an investigator."

Undersheriff Richard Winget said he had not seen the program and could not comment on Beckman's statements.

Winget said Metro is cooperating with the review board and that he and Sheriff Jerry Keller have urged officers to testify at review board hearings.

"We have reopened cases, taken their recommendations and have found misconduct where they pointed out misconduct we have missed," Winget said. "All of this is in a small minority of cases they have reviewed. We are committed to be cooperative."