Park officer says county retaliating

Monday, Feb. 10, 2003 | 9:49 a.m.

A park police officer is alleging that Clark County is retaliating against him for suing over hidden cameras in a locker room.

Officer Ron Nowak's lawyer had U.S. District Judge James Mahan hear an emergency motion Friday after Nowak was ordered to work a day shift instead of the night shift.

Nowak, a single father of two, said the change would create a hardship for him because it would mean a 4 percent cut in pay and would make it difficult for him to keep up with his children's school schedules.

He asked Mahan to issue an injunction to stop the change and prevent any further "retaliation and intimidation."

Nowak said the schedule change was the county's response to Nowak's participation, as one of 15 plaintiffs, in a lawsuit against the county. That lawsuit is tied to the April 2002 discovery of surveillance cameras in the men's locker room at the park police building, 2901 E. Sunset Road.

Mahan, however, accepted the county's explanation for the change. Carolyn Campbell, deputy district attorney, said the change was based on staffing needs and "good business reason."

Mahan added, however, that he would be on the lookout for any such wrongdoing as the lawsuit proceeds.

"I don't want somebody trying to gain advantage in a litigation by making it hell for somebody else in the workplace," Mahan said, in announcing his decision.

The judge added that the attorneys for the plaintiffs -- which included the Nevada chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union -- were welcome to bring any further evidence of intimidation before the court as the lawsuit continued.

Outside the courtroom, Kirk Kennedy, attorney for the plaintiffs, said he would be filing a renewed motion in the days to come.

"The judge said he was interested in evidence (of retaliation) and we have it," Kennedy said.

But Campbell denied the county's wrongdoing in the case.

"We're very cognizant of the fact that plaintiffs have a right to file a lawsuit and the county has no interest in retaliating against them for doing so," she said.