Police reopen seven internal probes

Keith Paul

Wednesday, May 23, 2001 | 11:16 a.m.

Metro Police have reopened all of the internal investigations done by a sergeant who was relieved of duty after allegedly falsifying reports during an internal probe.

Seven investigations conducted by Sgt. Dan Southwell will be reviewed, the complainants contacted and witnesses interviewed "to ensure the investigations were complete and appropriate," Undersheriff Richard Winget told the Sun on Tuesday.

One internal investigation done by Southwell was reopened after the Citizen Review Board determined that it had been shoddily done. That led to the review of the other seven.

Southwell was relieved of duty with pay earlier this month after the renewed investigation sustained charges of neglect of duty and falsifying a police report. Commander Mike Ault recommended Southwell be fired. A police board will hear the case and make a recommendation to Sheriff Jerry Keller, who will make the final decision.

Southwell, a 13-year Metro officer, spent much of his career as a detective, but Winget said no criminal investigations have been called into question.

"We have reason to suspect the investigations of employee conduct, but we have no reason to suspect that would have bled over into investigations of crimes," Winget said. "If we discover any such evidence, we will investigate."

Southwell, 40, was promoted to sergeant in March 2000 and assigned to patrol. Over the next seven months, he conducted eight internal investigations of his squads. The cases concluded with six of them exonerating the officers and two sustaining complaints against them, Winget said.

Southwell cleared officers of any wrongdoing in three use-of-force complaints, a courtesy complaint and a neglect-of-duty complaint, Winget said. He did not give more details. Southwell sustained a courtesy complaint and a use-of-force complaint, Winget said.

Southwell could not be reached for comment.

Winget said investigators will need several weeks to review the seven internal investigations Southwell conducted.

In the investigation that sustained charges against Southwell, the sergeant in July cleared Officer Richard Splinter of wrongdoing after a citizen complained the officer pulled back his shirt and showed his gun after an umpire ejected him from a baseball game.

After Splinter was cleared, the umpire, Jon Tignor, filed a complaint with the Citizen Review Board, which sustained the complaint of misconduct and chided Metro for the shoddy investigation.

Metro concurred and reopened the case in February.

During the review of Southwell's investigation into Splinter, internal affairs detectives found information in his report that appeared to have been concocted.

Southwell stated in his report that a North Las Vegas Police lieutenant who was called to the ballfield found no wrongdoing by Splinter. When the lieutenant was contacted, he claimed he never made such a statement, police said.

Police also found that a witness whom Southwell said was questioned about the incident never made a statement to police, Winget said.

The review board said in its report that Southwell didn't even interview two of the three witnesses named in the incident report filed by Splinter.

"The investigating officer interviewed only two witnesses, the officer who was the subject of the complaint and one other witness who had been friends with both the investigating officer and the officer charged with misconduct," the board wrote.

Southwell contacted Tignor, but "based upon his experience," decided Tignor "was drunk and uncooperative." The board found Tignor doesn't drink, but he does have a speech impediment, the board said in its decision.