Bill would require sheriff to have degree

Erin Neff

Friday, Feb. 21, 2003 | 11:11 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- A bill designed to close a loophole for the registrar of voters could end up keeping many folks from running for sheriff in Clark County.

Assembly Bill 114, submitted as a response to an elections dispute last year over a 20-year-old constable candidate in Henderson, would require candidates for sheriff or constable to have reached the age of 21 on the date they would take office.

But Metro Police Lt. Stan Olsen has asked for an amendment to require a four-year college degree from an accredited college or university, a proposal that also has roots in last year's elections.

Olsen works for Sheriff Bill Young, who faced tough competition last November from veteran Metro Capt. Randy Oaks, had a degree from an unaccredited college.

"We believe that in Clark County and Washoe County, the type of law enforcement is more and more complex," Olsen said. "We feel it's time to put a requirement on these jobs."

Oaks' degree from Bienville University became an issue when the Internet school was closed.

But some Assembly Government Affairs Committee members expressed concerns about forcing sheriff's candidates to have the equivalent of a bachelor's degree.

"I totally disagree with an education degree for law enforcement," Assemblyman Tom Collins, D-North Las Vegas, said. "There's nothing wrong with a qualified elector making that decision.'

Olsen responded that Metro is a large professional operation to run, involving nearly 4,300 employees.

Assemblyman Bob McCleary, D-North Las Vegas, said it would be unfair to require a degree for sheriff, when there is no such requirement for the state's chief executive, the governor.

"Somebody who's smart enough to get elected is smart enough to run the agency," McCleary said.

Clark County Registrar of Voters Larry Lomax said the only county office requiring a degree is district attorney, which requires a law degree.

Olsen never mentioned Oaks by name but was asked if anyone would have been disqualified by such a law.

"There was one individual," Olsen said, describing the Bienville degree. "It became a national news story."

Oaks said this morning he opposed the college degree requirement.

"A person needs to have some direct law enforcement experience," Oaks said. "I clearly would disagree that a college degree from an accredited university is needed.

"To me, you'd be hard-pressed to draw a direct corollary between a degree and the requirements of the sheriff's job."

Clark County also offered an amendment requiring candidates for constable to be certified as peace officers at the time they file for office.

Clark County officials were responding to a case involving Henderson constable candidate Nicholas Hansen, who was removed from the ballot because he was only 20 years on Election Day. The Nevada Supreme Court overturned that decision and placed Hansen back on the ballot, but Hansen lost.