Ex-NLV officer to get job back

Thursday, Dec. 12, 2002 | 9:49 a.m.

A former North Las Vegas Police officer who has been fighting a contentious legal battle with the city for more than five years was expected to get his job back today.

However, former Officer Joe Austin will not be back patrolling the streets.

Austin will not be able to return to street work until he completes a training program, including a physical and knowledge component, North Las Vegas City Attorney Sean McGowan said.

"It is a fairly lengthy training program that occurs in the spring," McGowan said. "He won't be a weapon-carrying police officer on patrol until he completes the recertification. He will make the same pay that he would have made if he was employed with the city the past five years."

McGowan said that the city is still planning on challenging a November ruling by arbitrator T. Zane Reeves, who said the city owed Austin almost $1 million in back pay and benefits, attorney's fees and taxes.

"That is taxpayer money that is at stake there," McGowan said.

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