Honor wanted for police officer who died

Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2006 | 10:15 a.m.

These 22 peace officers are recognized by local law enforcement agencies and by the Nevada Conference of Police and Sheriffs as having died in Clark County in the line of duty:

In May 1986 Metro Police Lt. John Conner, the high-profile head of the homicide unit who was considered as a potential candidate for sheriff, died after suffering a heart attack at a murder scene.

Despite the fact that he was working at the time he suffered the heart attack, his name has been left off police memorials because it hasn't been considered an on-duty death.

Conner is one of at least three Metro officers who have died from heart attacks suffered on duty, yet none is listed among the 22 on-duty deaths recognized by Southern Nevada law enforcement agencies.

In recent years, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, though, has been reviewing old cases and honoring some who died by means other than violence.

"We want to preserve the integrity of our wall," said Berneta Spence, director of research for the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, which oversees the National Law Enforcement Officers Monument that was dedicated in 1991.

But Spence said that a heart attack doesn't necessarily disqualify someone from inclusion.

Spence said this year her organization is adding to its wall the names of five officers who died from heart attacks while on duty. The organization has in the past added the names of officers who died from hepatitis C and from AIDS after being bitten by afflicted suspects.

When Conner, then 58, suffered his heart attack, he was taken to Sunrise Hospital. He died after 12 hours of surgery.

Conner was denied admission to the local police officers monument - a boulder-shaped memorial outside Las Vegas City Hall. His name also has never been submitted for consideration at the national monument, Spence said.

Through a police department spokesman, Metro Lt. Dennis Larsen said the department reviewed Conner's death and the deaths of at least two other officers who had suffered heart attacks and denied their inclusion.

Conner was denied because of a poor health history - most notably four prior heart attacks - that played more of a role in his death than his responding to a crime scene.

Larsen said the criteria for being included on the Las Vegas monument focuses on whether the death was a "direct action of police work." That includes officers killed in the line of duty or those who die chasing suspects .

Spence said there can be a difference between how local police agencies determine that and how the national organization does.

"There are instances where the names of some officers appear on our wall, but do not appear on local or state police officer monuments in some states," she said.

Twenty years ago Conner was among the most visible law enforcement officers in the valley, constantly appearing on the nightly news and being quoted in newspapers because he responded to nearly all murder scenes.

Conner was a veteran of 37 years in local police work. He served with both the Las Vegas Police Department and Clark County Sheriff's Office before the two agencies merged in the early 1970s to form Metro.

He was promoted to lieutenant in 1969 and became the chief of homicide in 1979, heading up more than 600 murder investigations, including the 1985 slayings of Las Vegas oil heiress Bobbie Jean Tipton and two others that resulted in the conviction of Steven Homick, who is on Nevada's death row.

Ed Koch can be reached at 259-4090 or at koch@lasvegassun.com.