Assembly OKs bill to hire more police officers

Cy Ryan, Ed Koch and Mary Manning

Friday, June 3, 2005 | 11:05 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- The Assembly on Thursday gave final approval to a bill permitting the Clark County Commission to raise the sales tax by one-quarter of a percent to hire more police officers.

The Assembly approved amendments to Assembly Bill 418 adopted last week by the Senate. The bill goes to Gov. Kenny Guinn, who is expected to sign the measure.

It will now be up to the Clark County Commission to decide whether to increase the present sales tax rate from 7.5 percent to 7.75 percent. The increase would take effect in October.

As the bill worked its way through the Legislature last week, there was concern that the money would go toward hiring extra officers, as was pledged when the issue went before voters last fall.

In debate last week, Sen. Barbara Cegavske, R-Las Vegas, complained that there is no accountability in the bill, suggesting that Metro Police could play a "bait and switch" game with the money.

Cegavske said there was no assurance that the extra money that could total nearly $90 million a year would be used for police operations instead of hiring new officers.

But Sen. Maggie Carlton, D-Las Vegas, said she was not concerned about Metro or other police agencies using the added revenue to replace current spending. Carlton said the Legislature was not increasing the tax, but it was putting the Clark County Commission "on the hot seat." She cited the 891 majority of voters in her district who voted on the advisory question for the tax increase.

Metro Police would hire 1,278 new officers over the next 10 years; 227 in Henderson, 151 by North Las Vegas, 19 by Mesquite and 12 in Boulder City.

Metro wants to hire 150 to 200 officers in the first year at a cost of about $90,000 an officer, including the equipment, training, uniforms, salary and benefits.

"I feel great about it," Sheriff Bill Young said Thursday.

Residents in the rural and outlying areas, such as Mesquite, Logandale, Overton and Mount Charleston, plus those in Henderson, voted in November 2004 against raising taxes to hire more officers, Young said.

"They're going to get them anyway," he said. "Every resident in Clark County will benefit from this."

It will take two or three years to see a difference with more officers on local streets, the sheriff said.

"We're a year away to start hiring, then another year to train them," Young said. "People will sleep easier. Cops on the street do make a difference."

While some like Cegavske fear that police departments might use funds for operating costs or public safety services, instead of hiring new officers, some government leaders feel that those scenarios fly in the face of common sense and go against what is needed for a safe, healthy community.

"It makes no sense to put new officers on the streets without supporting them with the proper infrastructure," said Clark County Commission Chairman Rory Reid.

"The purpose of this measure is to reduce crime, and you can only do that if you have well-equipped, well-supported police officers."

Las Vegas and Clark County, which co-fund Metro Police, have passed resolutions to commit the money generated from the tax hike to new cops in the wake of criticism that the funds might not be used as voters intended when they narrowly passed the police tax advisory question last November.

"There was some talk of that after the measure was approved (by voters), so to give people confidence that local government intended to use the money for intended purposes, we passed a resolution that we would put more officers on the streets and not use it (the new funds) to offset (other budget concerns)," Reid said.

"All I can do is lead by example. I'm confident the commission will do what the voters wanted."

North Las Vegas, Henderson and Boulder City also have adopted resolutions stating that the additional funds will be used solely for hiring and equipping more police officers. The resolutions said the money won't be used to supplant or replace existing or future funding for police services.

County Commissioner Tom Collins, who serves on the Metro Police Fiscal Affairs Committee, which oversees how Metro spends its taxpayer dollars, said he intends to vote yes when the sales tax hike comes before him for a vote.

Collins agrees with Reid that it makes no sense to hire new cops and not continue to fund the department in a manner that will allow them to properly do their jobs.

"Metro and the city and county have looked at a master plan to have more police substations," Collins said, noting the trend has been to try to improve public safety.

Collins said that while Metro could use more detectives, he would prefer to see the new officers used for increased uniform patrols and traffic control, where constituents have told him they are most needed.

Las Vegas Councilman Gary Reese literally cheered the Legislature's action, saying "Hip, hip hooray, hip, hip hooray."

Reese, who also sits on Metro's Fiscal Affairs Committee, said increased police presence is important to his constituents.

"I've always felt we need more cops because a police presence makes a difference," he said.

"As long as I sit on the City Council, I will make sure that money goes where it's supposed to go. I just hope we can get those police officers hired as soon as possible."

North Las Vegas City Manager Gregory Rose said the resolution his city passed makes it clear the council's intent is to use the funding for more police. He said the city already has property tax measures approved by voters that automatically commit funds for police use only and that money can't be spent elsewhere.

Although Rose said no one can predict what the economy will be in the future and its impact on finances, city officials are committed to increase police staffing.

Assemblyman Kevin Atkinson, D-North Las Vegas, a frequent critic of North Las Vegas city government, said he believes the city will honor its commitment. He said more than 60 percent of the city's residents backed the Clark County measure on the November ballot.

"I think they are going to look strongly at what the voters asked for," Atkinson said.

Boulder City Mayor Bob Ferraro said he doesn't see his or other cities backing down on their pledge to increase police funding.

"It would be political suicide to do anything but that," Ferraro said. "That's what the public expects us to do."

Henderson is committed to adding officers, Henderson Councilwoman Amanda Cyphers said. She said Henderson voters have twice rejected measures to increase property taxes for more police, and they will expect the sales tax money be used for that purpose.

"I can tell you beyond a shadow of a doubt that is exactly what the money will be spent on," Cyphers said. "The reason why Henderson has always been very strong is that we provide good police services, but we want to provide great police services."