Agencies getting paid for alert time

Jace Radke

Thursday, Feb. 26, 2004 | 8:42 a.m.

The state Division of Emergency Management has approved homeland security funds for Metro Police and the Nevada Highway Patrol, completing the reimbursement of state and local agencies for additional money spent on security during the high terror alert over the winter holidays.

A check was cut to Metro on Feb. 20 for $241,214.16, and $64,308.32 is in the process of being transferred to the Highway Patrol, emergency management officials said.

More than $1.68 million was paid back to state and local agencies.

The other agencies receiving reimbursements included:

The money is repayment for additional expenses incurred by agencies above the normal security costs associated with a high, or level orange, terror alert. The recent alert began on Dec. 21 and was lowered to an elevated, or yellow alert, on Jan. 9.

The majority of the extra expenditures came in the form of overtime and additional shifts for first-responders during the alert, with the majority coming around New Year's.

Armed U.S. Customs agents in Blackhawk helicopters patrolled the skies over the Strip on New Year's Eve, while police mixed with 270,000 revelers on the ground. Energy Department officials used sophisticated equipment to search for any biological or chemical contaminants and Nevada Army Guard soldiers were stationed at McCarran International Airport.

Metro spent about $443,000 for policing on New Year's Eve and into New Year's Day, department officials said.