Columnist Jeff German: Who will police the cabbies?

Friday, July 29, 2005 | 10:46 a.m.

They can't get a regulation ordering cameras in cabs to protect them, but they've got two public agencies fighting over who should police them.

Only in the zany world of Las Vegas cabbies could this happen.

A dispute erupted this week between the state Taxicab Authority and Metro Police over who has jurisdiction to investigate crimes against drivers.

Metro Police contend that's the police department's job.

Even though the Taxicab Authority has investigators with peace officer status, police say, it is primarily an administrative agency and should stick to regulating the professional conduct of the companies and their drivers.

Lately, however, the authority's perception of itself has changed, creating confusion within the industry.

On July 12 Taxicab Authority Administrator Yvette Moore sent a letter to the cab companies notifying them that her office now would be in charge of enforcing "all laws, rules and regulations pertaining to the taxicab industry" in Southern Nevada.

"The Nevada Taxicab Authority has met with representatives of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department recently, and the outcome of those meetings is that the Taxicab Authority is and will be responsible for all crimes committed on or by taxicab drivers," Moore wrote.

"LVMPD is in the process of re-writing their polices and procedures to reflect this line of thinking."

Moore instructed cab company dispatchers and cabbies to call the Taxicab Authority, instead of Metro Police, in the future.

"LVMPD will still provide resource assistance to the TA when requested, particularly in serious violent crimes," Moore said, "but the primary responsibility of investigating the complaint or crime will lie with the TA."

This, Moore wrote, would give the Taxicab Authority a better handle on crime trends in the industry and free up resources for the police department.

The only problem with Moore's letter is that, in the eyes of Metro Police, no such deal was ever struck.

An angry Sheriff Bill Young, who has tangled behind the scenes with Moore in recent weeks, didn't find out about the letter until Monday, when he got a call from a bewildered taxicab company owner.

Young saw Moore's directive as an attempt to circumvent his authority, and he instructed his general counsel, Liesl Freedman, to issue a response.

Freedman sent a letter to the cab companies Wednesday informing them that the police department has not agreed to give up the right to investigate crimes against cabbies.

"LVMPD is committed to serving and protecting the citizens of Metropolitan Las Vegas and Clark County," Freedman wrote. "Taxicab drivers are no exception."

Freedman urged the companies to continue reporting crimes to police.

After learning about Freedman's response, Moore insisted that she wasn't trying to undermine the police department, but rather was looking to reduce the duplication of services the two agencies provide.

"This was done in support of Metro," she said.

The squabble, Moore added, was the result of some miscommunication.

She acknowledged that she should have run the letter past Metro Police before sending it out.

Her words of conciliation, however, failed to sway Undersheriff Doug Gillespie, who said he was flabbergasted over the apparent power grab.

"There's no desire on our part to relinquish any authority we currently have to the Taxicab Authority," Gillespie said.

By Thursday, though Moore could not be reached for comment, it looked like she was backtracking.

Gillespie said he was told that Moore would be rescinding her directive.

"It's business as usual for us," he explained.

And it's business as usual for a Taxicab Authority that can't seem to get itself together.