Election 2002: Sheriff

Thursday, Oct. 17, 2002 | 11:17 a.m.

LAS VEGAS SUN

Two Metro Police veterans are going head to head in the race for Clark County sheriff.

Deputy Chief Bill Young has the endorsement of retiring Sheriff Jerry Keller. He spent nearly $640,000 of the nearly $800,000 he raised for his campaign.

Capt. Randy Oaks has spent less than $70,000.

The pair easily outdistanced eight other candidates to claim the two spots in the general election.

Young, 46, has been a Metro officer for more than 23 years, rising through the ranks from patrol officer to deputy chief, working in SWAT, vice/narcotics and support services along the way. He is currently in charge of the special operations division and homeland security.

Young has said Metro is a good department and he wants to continue improving service. He wants to focus on improving the 911 system and fighting gangs and drugs as well as identity theft and fraud.

Oaks, 50, started at Metro more than 28 years ago and is currently in charge of the general services bureau. He has been a captain/bureau commander for 12 years and led special operations, civil services and the northeast area command.

Oaks says the sheriff must be more than a cop, but also know politics, the legislative process and the community. He says he has experience in all of those areas, and if elected, he will improve the 911 system, improve services and have officers take reports on property crimes. He ran for sheriff in 1994 but was beaten by Keller.

He promises changes at the top, including eliminating the four commander positions -- a rank brought back by Keller -- and a civilian chief position.

Oaks said he wouldn't dismiss the entire command staff, but would talk with them and see "who is going to be part of the problem and who is going to be part of the solution."

Oaks has the endorsement of third-place challenger Metro Lt. Steve Franks, who received about 12 percent of the vote.