21 have sought school police chief job

By Emily Richmond (contact)

Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2004 | 8:52 a.m.

It's been two weeks since the Clark County School District launched its search for a new chief of police and 21 applications have already been received, said George Ann Rice, associate superintendent of human resources.

"We're getting them from all over the country -- North Carolina, Arizona, Illinois, Florida, New York," Rice said Tuesday. "We had three applications come in the very first day the job was posted on our Web site."

There have also been submissions from possible candidates in California, Michigan, Nebraska, Indiana, Colorado, Missouri, Texas and Ohio.

Elliot Phelps was fired earlier this month as police chief after district officials determined he had worked four years without the required certification from the Nevada Commission on Peace Officers' Standards and Training. Rice's office has since taken over responsibility for ensuring all of the district's 145 campus police officers as well as the next chief have met the certification requirements.

"Believe me, we won't make the same mistake twice," Rice said.

The district is advertising the position in the New York Times, Chicago Tribune and several other regional newspapers, Rice said. The job is also listed in law enforcement trade publications and with major metropolitan police agencies.

So far all of the applicants are men, Rice said. There are two applicants from Nevada and one of them is a current school district employee, Rice said. She declined to identify the individual, citing employee confidentiality.

School Police Lt. Jame Ketsaa is the acting police chief until the position is filled. Ketsaa could not be immediately reached for comment.

Clark County Schools Superintendent Carlos Garcia is responsible for hiring -- and, if necessary, firing -- the chief of police. A screening committee made up of district staff will whittle the list of candidates down to a group of finalists that will be invited for personal interviews, Rice said.

There is no deadline for the applications, Rice said.

"We're keeping the job open until we find the right person," Rice said.

Phil Gervasi, president of the Clark County School District Police Officers' Association, said he hoped the same screening committee would be used that was in place when Phelps was hired four years ago.

The committee should include representatives from Metro Police as well as law enforcement officials from the cities of Henderson, Boulder City and North Las Vegas, Gervasi said. The union should also have a seat at the table, he said.

"They (the district) needs to hire someone who is honest, direct and will keep morale high," Gervasi said.