Governor a no-show for terror center

Jeff German, Las Vegas Sun

Saturday, June 16, 2007 | 7:37 a.m.

A busy schedule forced Gov. Jim Gibbons to cancel a meeting Friday with Sheriff Doug Gillespie to resolve differences over the best location to anchor the state's intelligence gathering efforts in the war on terrorism.

Gibbons said he plans to reschedule the meeting soon.

The governor wants to establish a "fusion center" in Carson City to serve as Nevada's main link with federal homeland security officials.

But Sheriff Doug Gillespie and other top law enforcement officials have told Gibbons that the federally funded intelligence gathering operation in Las Vegas, set to open next month, is best suited to be the state's primary fusion center. Most of the state's anti-terrorism resources are in Southern Nevada, as are most of the potential threats.

More than 60 Metro Police detectives, analysts and support staff will work out of the high-tech Southern Nevada Counter-Terrorism Center, which is designed to coordinate the collecting and disseminating of intelligence. Many local, state and federal law enforcement agencies, including the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, also plan to station representatives there.

The governor's plan for Carson City, some officials warn, could undermine the authority of the Las Vegas intelligence hub to deal with federal homeland security officials.

Washoe County Sheriff Mike Haley, who also was to attend Friday's meeting with Gibbons, is among those who back Gillespie's position.

Haley is spearheading efforts to open a smaller Reno fusion center in the fall that will work closely with the Las Vegas facility.

Sun reporter Cy Ryan contributed to this story from Carson City.