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twitterPolice: Officer killed in crash drove 109 mph with no lights, sirens
Sheriff calls speed in early morning on Flamingo Road ‘excessive and unsafe’
Published Wednesday, May 20, 2009 | 3:32 p.m.
Updated Wednesday, May 20, 2009 | 5:25 p.m.
Audio Clip
- Sheriff Doug Gillespie addressed the accident that killed Metro Police Officer James Manor at a press conference on Wednesday.
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Calvin Darling
Sun archives
- Financial help coming for officer’s daughter (5-18-2009)
- Community mourns police officer killed in crash (5-15-2009)
- Traffic delays likely for Metro officer’s funeral (5-15-2009)
- Funeral services planned for officer killed in crash (5-11-2009)
- Accused driver’s attorney in fatal police crash speaks out (5-11-2009)
- Driver in fatal crash with officer wasn’t drunk, to be released (5-8-09)
Metro Police Officer James Manor, who was killed earlier this month while responding to a 911 call, was speeding and had no emergency lights or siren on at the time of the crash, police said Wednesday.
Sheriff Doug Gillespie said Manor was traveling east on Flamingo Road at 109 mph just before the collision, which occurred at 1:49 a.m. on May 7.
At the time of the crash, the officer’s car was clocked at 90 mph, Gillespie said. Manor wasn't wearing a seat belt.
The sheriff said officers must obey traffic laws if responding to calls without using their vehicle's emergency lights and siren. The speed limit along the stretch of Flamingo where the crash occurred is 45 mph.
“Officer Manor’s speed was excessive and unsafe,” Gillespie said.
The sheriff said he learned of the officer's speed, gathered from laboratory tests, late Friday night.
“Even with lights and sirens, that speed was excessive," Gillespie said.
A second patrol car responding to a 911 call also didn't use its lights or siren, Gillespie said. Investigators have not determined the speed of the second car, he said.
The investigation into the fatal collision continues and charges have not been filed with the district attorney’s office against Calvin Darling, who was turning at the time his pickup truck collided with the officer's cruiser.
Darling, 45, was arrested for DUI after the collision. He was released the following day after two blood-alcohol tests, drawn an hour apart at University Medical Center, showed he had a .035 and a .02 blood-alcohol level -- below the legal limit of .08. Darling was turning his red pickup truck left from Flamingo Road when the collision occurred at Ravenwood Drive.
Darling had told police he had "three or four" beers after he got off work at the Bellagio.
"It was a valid arrest," Gillespie said, adding Darling failed a sobriety test.
Darling could still face a charge of failing to yield to an emergency vehicle, but police and the district attorney’s office are investigating any possible charges, Gillespie said.
During a news conference Wednesday, Gillespie said “forensic evidence does not support” initial information given by officers after the crash, such as police reports that the emergency lights were in use. The police fatal investigation team examined filaments in the light bulbs of the patrol car lights to determine whether they were in use.
The sheriff said there is “discretion” for officers responding to a 911 call, as Manor was, to either use or not use emergency flashing lights and sirens.
“He believed a young woman was in danger and he responded,” Gillespie said of Manor’s actions before the crash. “He was a cop’s cop.”
The 911 call from a 14-year-old girl that set the officers in motion is still under investigation, Gillespie said.
An executive level committee is reviewing the lights and sirens policy for Metro Police and Gillespie said he has issued a message to all officers. Metro Police officers undergo a “robust” training program before they are assigned, the sheriff said.
Manor was just shy of serving two years with Metro Police.
Funeral services for Manor were held Friday.
Discussion: 118 comments so far…
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Locally owned and independent for more than 50 years.
One hundred miles per hour.
No lights.
No siren.
No seatbelt.
No heart beat.
No hero.
Just another Metro criminal.
This is still a horrible accident, but they better drop the DUI charges against Calvin Darling right now. The only reason they won't, is to try to deflect the civil suit Darling has every right to file.
It is nice to see Metro 'man up' and admit the truth (unlike Henderson police and the Ice Cream Lady murder), but to not drop charges now, just shows they are manipulating law enforcement to CYA themselves.
geez, I'd figure anyone could easily "fail to yield" any vehicle coming at hundred miles an hour on a city street. Unfortunate Officer Manor took such a risk. A sad incident indeed, but glad to hear an honest report from the Sheriff.
Still trying to justify the arrest of this poor guy that got hit by the police car is disgusting. Police, including the chief, just cannot bring themselves to admit error in anything.
Fire the Police Chief, if for nothing else, this statement to the press.
So much for the cover up attempt.
Isn't this exactly what the(non-cop) witnesses had been saying all along?
see how it works, folks.
This is absolutely ridiculous. There is no reason to be driving 109 mph to a call...i don't care what it is. Poor Mr. Darling had no reaction time, a black/white vehicle, traveling at 2am going 109mph = NO TIME TO REACT
Officer Manor was at fault and this is just a pathetic attempt at a cover up. The DA's office should admonish the Police Chief and immediately drop everything. What a joke!!
first of all Ds-Gentel, show some respect an officer has died, please grow up....second, even if you are driving drunk and hit by another car you are still charged with DUI....maybe not causing death if the death is determined not to be the DUI drivers fault....but still DUI behind the wheel over the legal limit....and that is the law.
So much for our latest "hero"
Smoke14,
What are you smoking? Darling was NOT over the limit, hence he broke NO laws?
If I run you over when you are outside of a crosswalk, I can have a blood alcohol content of .079999999999 and it is still YOUR fault.
Learn the law or stay quiet.
Smoke 14, did you miss the part about him not being drunk? His tests came back at .02 & .035(actually .002 & .0035) which is below 1/2 of our rediculously low DUI levels.
Let's have all the morons come out of the woodwork supporting that was excessively speeding to a call with no lights or sirens. Officer Manor's vehicle was like a missle flying down the street with no warning waiting to hit the first car that crossed it's path.
C'mon people... are you seriously going to deflect the fault of Officer Manor by trying to nitpick other peoples comments?
What's just as deplorable is watching the local media, including the Sun, lift up Manor as some kind of martyr and Darling as a villain over the last week. Terms such as "slain" were thrown around as if Darling premeditated this vicious attack. Hopefully this will turn around soon, and Darling will be released of the burden he carries.
While Manor did many great things, such as volunteering with and mentoring children, like every other Metro officer he abused the responsibility entrusted to him. I'm glad for once they aren't trying to hide the truth; their department is a reckless, self-serving entity that rarely has the community's best interests in mind.
109mph....is a uncontrolled weapon....for everyone on the road.
70 mph might have been an acceptable speed while responding to an emergency call... and that it only with clear streets.
SO LET ME GET THIS STRAIGHT...DUI even though he had a .02 1/4 the legal limit.. So at this point we can no longer go to bars. The danger of someone else hitting us while we have alcohol in our system is too high. It would ruin our lives. I mean seriously if the standard is zero, then why is it not stated?
i think the word here, is, PWND
I forgot to rake the Sun over the coals on this one in my previous post.
You Greenspun toadies did not quote a single witness claiming they saw no sirens or lights, but you did malign Mr. darling as a dangerous drunk driver in your original article. I had to read the RJ's crappy website to see the witness statements. Poor, poor journalism. Epic fail.
I think Greespun better get his checkbook out also.
I wonder if the community would give me a million dollar funeral if I drove 109 mph with no seatbelt?
I wonder how much the drunk driver paid the reporter to have this article published. So so said... Rest In Peace Jamie!!!!
"I wonder how much the drunk driver paid the reporter to have this article published."
Wwwwhhhhhaaaaattttttt?????????
The insurance companies are going to run out of fingers to point at people.
That punk girl who made the bogus call in the first place is going to find herself in a nice mess.
The sheriff went on TV and lied! He said lights and sirens on and the other driver was drunk. I wondered why he said that mess before an investigation even took place. Looks like the Sheriff is a lying piece of crap!!!
Someone owes that citizen an apology and a new truck and medical bills.
The sheriff should resign!
For those of you arguing the DUI charges, check your laws!!! You can still be charged with a DUI if you blow over a zero. The fines are just lower depending on what you blew on the breathalyzer or results from blood work. DUI is still DUI. You don't have to blow a .08 to get a DUI charge. Idiots.
We can never again trust anything the sheriff says. I hope anyone in prison or jail because of the sheriffs testimony gets out. He has just proven to all of us he is a liar and a cheat! I will vote against him from now on.
He went on TV and lied! All he had to say was "we are investigating" but no he flat out lied and slandered a citizen. We now know he can not be trusted.
What a dirt bag! The sheriff should resign A.S.A.P.
JSpence07 -
What planet are you from? No court in the land will convict anyone who has a .035 BAC. None. Zero. Zilch.
Gillespie should resign. End of story. The Darling lawsuit will empty the already empty coffers of Las Vegas.
Who exactly is Gillespie accountable to?
Doesn't his salary come from my taxes?
When will they ever control these cowboys?
What gives Gillespie the right to ruin another man's reputation based on lies?
And what about the second officer who was trailing the accident who claimed they had their lights and sirens on? Why doesn't Gillespie address this issue? Are there any reporters in Las Vegas not in the pocket of the police? Who will call these cowboys on their malicious lies?
Who pays for the 21 gun salute, helicopter missing man formation, overtime for out of state police officers to cover those that are participating in the funeral procession, use of public vehicles, etc... Are they all just bills that taxpayers are stuck with???
Very sad for everyone involved except for the teenage complainer who, like too many in her generation, just doesn't care. What were her words upon learning what her BS had caused? Oh yeah, "I'm hungry. Did you eat my donut?"
"The sheriff went on TV and lied! He said lights and sirens on and the other driver was drunk."
At the time, all he had to go on was what he was being told by the cop who was behind the one involved in the accident. I thought that much was pretty clear.
I'm just wondering how you charge someone for failing to yield to an emergency vehicle when it's dark out, and there are no lights or sirens to inform you that you are in the midst of an emergency vehicle. Give it up and drop all of these stupid charges. They took way too long to release this information and now they still don't want to just accept that this man is not guilty! They need to completely withdraw all pending charges, and issue an apology immediately. I'm perfectly okay with whatever settlement Mr. Darling gets. He deserves some compensation for having his life ruined by this and his character assassinated.
Mike123:
The sheriff could have said "No comment, we are still investigating" he had no reason to flat out lie and slander a private citizen like that. The problems at Metro start at the top! The sheriff went on TV! He called a press conference and then lied!
Evidence continues to mount revealing Metro as a publicly funded criminal cultured organization that is extremely hazardous to public health and safety.
Admission to numerous purchases of street cocaine.
Military style residential break-ins.
Brutalizing detained suspects.
Falsifying documentation.
Inciting senior citizens into murderous rages to justify their killing.
With complete disregard to public safety, and their own (no seatbelt) manically speeding upon our roadways under the guise of emergency.
Arresting, instead of honoring those they nearly kill that attempt to save them from their own death.
Providing the media with false reports/statements in an attempt to mislead and conceal the truth from the public as a means of justifying an unethical, hazardous criminal culture in apparent disrepair.
Extreme changes to policies, procedures, mindsets, habits and personnel i.e. culture cant be instituted quickly enough for the sake of the publics health and safety and in the name of community justice.
What did toxicology reports reveal about Mr. Manors biochemical condition?
At what point does a community political leader step-up to the plate and demand an independent investigation of this insidious, despicable, criminal culture?
Gillespie has been a community embarrassment.
Metro should not be cleared in this matter until the 'cops' on the scene who a) filed false statements/reports and b) intimidated witnesses, are fired and charged in criminal court. Falsification of a police report and witness intimidation are very serious crimes.
WHAT ARE THEIR NAMES? I want the name of every cop on the scene that filed a false statement. Even more disgusting is that from all accounts, they intimidated and/or ignored witnesses on the scene. Just atrocious behavior. But sadly so typical for Metro.
I am a 911 Emergency dispatcher. I was coming home 2 weeks ago at 1:30am, I was traveling East on Desert Inn at Rainbow. The light just changed, I had the green. I am always cautious of drunk drivers, so I always check first. A patrol car traveling South on Rainbow, ran the red light, at an excessive speed, the car had no lights or sirens, good thing I didn't take my green light. I tried to follow to report the Officer, but there was no way I was going to catch him. I did call it in, I was told the Officer was not showing on the GPS ( this sometimes happens ) without the unit number, there was nothing I could do. Metro, you've come this far and admitted that Officer Manor, was being careless, with everyone's lives, including his own ( no seat belt ) it is a horrible tragedy, he was so young. Oh ya, and why are you trying to pin this on Mr Darling, he could have been killed!!! you should be on your knees apologizing, he has a family too! is his life not worth as much? get off the pride wagon and use this to educate the Officers who are out there risking their lives to save others and to show the public that you do not play favorites. Make be proud to be a dispatcher.
The delay on the release of this information can be directly related to timing AFTER Manor's funeral. Right? So as to not take away any praise he received, both warranted and possibly now unwarranted.
First I don't think we can clear Darling of possibly driving while driving under the influence. Just because he was not legally drunk does not mean he still can't be charged. Other thing is how long did it take to have him tested. He refused to blow on scene which is a tactic to allow further delay.
Then yes the Sherriff was going off of reports from another officer who was tailing. I truely believe this will be turned over to internal affairs where the officer could lose his job for filing a false report in an accident that lead to a death.
Another thing I hope the Sheriff uses this to change and further enforce the policy regarding lights and sirens to report from one incident to another.
Finally us tax payers have to be willing to look at our police labor force and see if we have enough officers to cover the calls that come in where we don't need officers criss crossing this town to report from one incident to another. I have had vandals in custody and had to wait over two hours for a patrol vehicle due to staffing levels and where they needed to respond from.
How many of you know a METRO or State Police officer? Are you aware of the volume of calls at any one time? Go to a First Tuesday and hear the statistics of how many calls per officer they must respond to. How many officers they have on a shift to how many square miles and population they must cover. It will shock you how under man they are.
I say let them run lights and sirens when needed to cross traffic so they can respond quicker while giving them a maximum above speed limit policy.
Police officers are human as well. We must honor them for the service, and when they do wrong they should be held accountable. In this case Manor was held accountable with his life. It is a shame, but we should not dishonor him or the question the funeral that was held. That is like spitting on ones grave. If you are that low then you deserve the same.
Most of you are hypocrites, yes I said it. It sounds like the officer was wrong or at least the major contributing force. The sheriff made statements based on the info he had, things change and I commend him for continuing the investigation. You the people watch the news and want the info fast so with the given facts they did just that. NEWS FLASH there are doctors, lawyers, teachers, priests and many others who make errors and even some who cross the line in their jobs. To condemn all is hypocrisy. There are many great officers out there with metro and all over the country yet its so easy to point the finger and group them all together. Maybe if our society was not filled with so many thieves, druggies, ect ect we would not need as many police. Maybe we held ourselves to the same standard that we wish our cops to hold it would be a different city. Look at all the stats out there are they all fabricated? Next time you need a cop hope that he is a professional and show them the same respect that you would like. This call began from just one of those "great" citizens calling the "bad" police. Its so funny to read these comments maybe you should all get out and vote, go to college, or volunteer your time. Do you choose to be part of the problem or the solution. This is a lesson learned and I'm glad there were not more injuries, sort of like the other 25 - 50 drinking, speeding, careless accident and lesson that are learned each and every weekend.
By ths -
I repeat again - no court in the land will convict a driver of driving impaired with a BAC of .035, not even half the legal limit. None. Zero. Zilch.
But a court will convict the officer who lied on the arrest report about the lights and sirens. Whoever he is, he is ******* in his nicely pressed officer uniform about right now.
I agree with the earlier posts. What gives the cops the right to falsely accuse a private citizen, who pays their salaries ? Problem with bad cops they forget who pays them and who they work for. I think the sheriff falls into this group.
Hey mikenyc,
You really should get a clue before you post. If this story had been the way it was originally reported, he would be charged and convicted on DUI with death. Had the officer been driving a reasonable speed with his lights and siren, then there would have been a conviction. The limit, .08, is just a number. It is called "illegal per se". Try reading the NRS before you spout off about something that you don't know. Many people have been convicted for driving less than .08.
Harsh words from some people but remember Officer James Manor lost his life sirens or not, he paid the price for his mistake, what about the phony call for help that he was responding to!
LOL...LOL...LOL I KNEW IT. FIRE THE OTHER COP FIRE GILLESPIE. BUY DARLING A NEW TRUCK. LOL....LOL....LOL
Comment removed by staff.
Hey johnmanrules,
who should get the clue? the reason the story was not as originally reported is that the trailing officer lied on the arrest report. 109mph is a bit more than a reasonable speed in any jurisdiction. as i have continually stated, there is no judge or jury who will convict anyone driving impaired with a bac of .035. if you don't believe me, try doing some research yourself instead of spouting off on topics you obviously know nothing about.
109 MPH IF I DID THAT I WOULD GO TO JAIL.
Wow the last few comments lend faith that there are some humans reading the article! Good points! Stats show there are 30+ DUI's over the legal limit each week here in the valley. Maybe we should focus on the future and some prevention. Better yet let these people who judge so harshly go out and enforce the law.
I SAID: 109 MPH IF I DID THAT I WOULD GO TO JAIL.
WHAT I MENT TO SAY WAS: 109 MPH IF I DID THAT I WOULD BE THROWN UNDER THE JAIL.
I will repeat, before everyone forgets Manor lost his life. He paid for his mistake with his life.
Everyone can be quick to judge the police, but I agree if everyone held their selves to the same standards they hold everyone else to we would not be in this financial mess or level of crime that we have.
We expect the police to do so much with the #'s they have. I see people question why it takes hours to get an officer to come take a report of a burglary. Well I rather have them responding to other higher priority calls. Yes I wish they follow the traffic laws or run with their lights and sirens, but I wish we had enough officers to do everything people want them to do and in a timely manner.
The valley properly honored Officer Manor for the life he lived and for what he did right. Then was not the time to point fingers or disrespect of everything he did right for this failure in judgement that cost his life and affected anothers.
Now is time to learn, correct and hold responsible anyone who knowingly lied. That is the officer that was following, not the Sherriff. He made statements from what he thought was an honorable officer which he now has learned otherwise. It is a shame to know there are people that won't admit when they or others they were with were wrong.
But I ask everyone, have you always manned up for your mistakes before you are quick to hide in an internet posting and point the fingers.
109MPH vehicle at almost 2 in the morning with no lights or siren (like that would have mattered) and they are pursuing possible failure to yield charges?? Metro needs to provide better training and let this go because it's going to be a waste of our taxpayer money trying to pursue anything against Mr. Darling. Honor Officer Manor by making sure it does not happen again. The next time it could be my family, or yours.
cambridge -
better to focus on our metro driving 109 mph down our city streets. drunk driving is inexcusable, but this case has nothing to do with that. more with officers who are either poorly trained or poorly led. speeding and then lying about it is a disgrace. for a cop it is game over.
It IS sad a fine young officer lost his life.
It is also sad that metro must continue to present, for public consumption, the premise that Mr. Darling may still be somehow at fault.
I would imagine the Chief cannot, even if he had a mind to, publicly state that Metro was wrong and exonerate Mr. Darling. Lawsuits, I assume, will be pending.
109 on FLAMINGO, at night, no lights, no sirens. Holy Cow.
Combined with the prior accident involving a former Highway Patrolman going 113, at night, no lights, no siren, does beg the question;
Who the heck is training these kids?????
Well put, THS!
By ths,
i don't disagree with you. most of metro are fine officers. but we have a serious problem here that needs addressing. otherwise the crediblity of metro is toast. the buck stops with gillespie and he really screwed the pooch on this one.
The big question. Why would an officer respond to a call without lights and siren? Why so fast. Was he responding from somewhere he wasn't suppose to be? Was he trying to make up time so not to look like he reported a false location to begin with? There are many more questions than answers. What we do know is this Sheriff needs to resign and many officers need to be charged.
One other thing is realize that it is not METRO's call at this time if any charges are filed. That is left up to the county DA's office. The police has the responsibility to complete the evidence gathering and turning it over to the DA's office.
The DA's office has the final call to proceed with a case or not.
Don't point the fingers that METRO is covering anything up if you don't know the process. They manned up and called the actions inexcusable. We now have to wait and see what the DA's office will do and METRO Internal Affairs office will do about the other officer who lied on a police report.
All I can hope for is the DA does it right and METRO IA makes an example of the other officer on the scene of the event.
Yes Mikenyc, you are correct. Unfortunately we will never know if Darling's impairment led to the actual accident. Would a "sober" (no alcohol) person have the observation skills of a person driving at that rate of speed? I don't think we will ever know the answer to that question. However, this should be an eye-opener to all those driving at excessive speeds. Rather than beat a dead horse, maybe we ALL can learn something from speeding and driving under the influence, both of which cause fatalities. Bashing the police and lumping all of them together is just ignorant. Believe me, one day each and every one of us will need their assistance in one way or another.
mikenyc I think the buck does stop at the Sheriffs office and he now has the lights and siren policy and response policy according to this article being reviewed.
Just like the NTSB who is there to help try to prevent accidents from happening, they often address problems after they arrise. Unless you have a crystal ball or getting many public complaints about these incidents happening one can't address it.
If there is credible reporting of this taking place like from the dispatch operator driving home and it is being ignored then we need to look at the leaders.
sad to say but you can be convicted of dui even with bal under .08...ask anyone who has ever had to attend the aa class, ( class required of someone charged with dui)...most people get convicited of this by a power hungry judge on a personal mission, usually in a small venue, after the accused have waived their right to a jury trial..happens all the time..these judges can do what they want to, and most people cant afford to fight it...your best bet is a jury trial if you are going to fight it...it doesnt seem fair, but it happens, however for a few thousand dollars most lawyers can make sure this doesnt happen to you...
The apologists for the Metro police here are laughable at best. We have a cop flying down Flamingo at 109 mph without lights or siren and they want to talk about the .035 BAC on Darling. You people are a joke. If that was the whole story it wouldn't be so bad. But now we have a lying cop hiding somewhere (no name has been provided of the other officer), and a totally clueless Gillespie who is forced to eat his own words. This is very sorry stuff and not a good day for Metro.
How many citizens would be provided a funeral like Manor for going 109 mph without a seatbelt. And Manor was breaking the law when he didn't use his lights and siren. Every death is a tragedy, but not everyone is called a hero in the local media for breaking the law and endangering others.
Not 60, not 70, not 80, not 90, not 100 -> 109
There is nothing worse than a crooked cop. They are the biggest criminals. I tell my kids NEVER to trust them. How much did that funeral cost? And they have the nerve to set up some sort of fund for his family. What about the fund for the victims of crimes. There isn't one because they don't give a sh*T. What about Darlings family. I say Darling if you are reading this...Sue those m f ers for everything they have. Fire the Sheriff he is no good and the leader of the criminals with the badges. Pond skum all of you.
byteme, who is your probation officer? Better yet who are your kids probations officers? There is help for you its called a shrink, nice examples that you set for your kids. I can only say with 100% accuracy your kids will be just like you, with a criminal record!
The cop that was not honest shold be held accountable. If you judge who your kids should talk to based on if they lie I can only assume they do not do much talking to anyone inclusive of their family.
Bytme, may I ask your nobel profession?
Another reason why it is so important to have a FREE press in this country. With newspapers and TV news stations shutting down daily, who will be there to report the next time a cop lies, a mayor kills someone while drunk , a councilmen or county commissioner takes another bribe from a developer?
We are under threat in this country from the inside. Police are out of control since we passed the Patriot Act. Remember folks, "WE THE PEOPLE" are the power...
For all of the people who are against Darling.....
Do you really think if he was sober he would be able to judge the speed of a car driving in the opposite direction at 109 MPH??? Going down a 45 MPH street? The car was going 2.5 times the speed limit. Even in daylight and sober, it would be difficult to judge the speed of that car.
How many of us have experience driving around cars moving that fast? NASCAR/INDY drivers? Without experience around cars moving that fast there is no way we could react to that.....let alone at 2 AM.
S711
The TRUTH has come-out because many members of the Public refused to rollover on this. We declined to buy Metro Lies and attempts from Newspapers like the Sun to quell discussion over this (as the Sun did by pulling forums on these stories).
Bravo to those in Las Vegas who did not buy the LIES.
Sun, shame on you.
Everytime Metro does something wrong there is a cover up.I think anyone caught falsifing a report should be charged.If we as private citizens do this we are called liars and get charges,these officers involved should be treated the same way,they take an oath to abide by the law also.I was disgusted when the witnesses reported the treatment they received from Metro....come on officers you know this was BS.You should hand over your badges and let the unbiased take your place.I think the witnesses should file suit against the city also.They have the right to fair treatment,just as the officer does....
I keep hearing all those who defend the officers, saying we shouldn't bunch the several good cops with the few bad cops. My question to you is, who are the good cops?
Is it the metro officer last night I witnessed pull over a kid on a bike for no apparent reason? That had him place his hands like they were cuffed behind his back while he searched him? Apparently his only crime was riding his bike on the sidewalk. This officer came off of Sahara onto Rancho and v-lined it to the kid behind the US Bank building. He didn't even observe the kid, just went straight after him.
Or maybe the officer who sat and followed me home while I was walking from the bus stop to my home about 1/2 mile away, and even took the time to shine his spotlight on me. I swear in my heart of hearts that the only reason he didn't want to have a "conversation" with me is because I'm white. Yes, they are the real heroes.
And you say we should respect them because we will need their help someday. Kind of like the day at work I had a man come in and threaten my life? Oh I remember what happened. Dispatch said no officer could be there for 45 minutes, and unless he did anything the only thing they could do is escort him off the property because of trespassing laws! Is that the help you're talking about?!
Metro is a joke. They aren't here to help. They are a scab on Las Vegas. It's like DiCaprio's character in "The Departed" says, (paraphrased) "They signed up so they could shoot their guns."
Here's the deal. The officer probably thought that there wouldn't be many people out on the street at that time and that he would see them. He had only been a cop for a short time therefore he was inexperienced and should of used better judgment. He should of had his lights on but hindsight is 20/20. In no way am I saying that he was in the right. I think any officer that is exceeding the speed limit or not obeying traffic laws should have his lights on but to be honest this happens more often than you think. The driver was not at fault and he wasn't drunk either as proven by the two separate tests. It is a sad day when we lose the life of anyone but the officer is at fault for this accident. Every life is precious and no matter who you are you can't take a life and get away scot-free. I feel sorry for the families involved with this and I will pray for them. Both the families because in the end that is who will pay for this. The ones left behind are the ones we should be thinking about not what mistakes were made.
My belief is that the Sheriff was polite enough to withhold this information until the police officer was buried.
I also believe it is being released now, so that the County can make some sort of "comparative negligence" claim to reduce the Worker's Comp type pay out to the officer's daughter.
What truly stinks is the lynch mob mentality which our local television stations and print press drummed up against the other driver, who spent a couple of days in jail...for getting in the way of a speeding police car with no lights or sirens. I guess that man, and all of us, are expected to have ESP and magically know that a police car is silently traveling on a city street at 100 mph.
Those of us who watch TV actually saw witnesses interviewed, at the accident site, on the day of the crash, and they said that there were no lights or sirens on the police car. That's why all of the press and law enforcement b.s. immediately after the accident was so outrageous.
Sorry, the police man was probably a nice guy, but he didn't have his seat belt on, and he was negligent. He was no Henry Prendes.
It's a sad story all around. RIP.
"let the unbiased take your place" ?
You know that any of you are free to test for metro and be upstanding in your work at anytime, right?
This officer is dead? What more would you like? He is dead, GONE and will never bother any of you. If you don't like the way things are in your police department do something.
Telling your children never to trust a cop is just stupid...that's no different than saying " don't trust those black folks" just because someone may have met a few black thugs. What if your "children" were in real danger and could see a police officer, but ended up dying all because of your sound advice? Now that's great parenting
And what's the deal with the funeral? He died in the line of duty. Yes what he did was wrong, but it doesn't change all the good he has done and this man did alot of good. He didn't break into someone's home military style, hold a gun to their head, beat them up 'cause he didn't like them or use his power to get even. He messed up. Too damn fast, sure. He still lived his life trying to help people and that matters.
So if you want to change things, put on a badge and change things...I bet you wouldn't. I bet you couldn't!
The issue from the get-go has been Code 3 procedures (use of lights and sirens). Rules put in place to halt the Police from playing cops&robbers in our community. Sadly that is exactly what Metro has become, cops and robbers.
Very little Police work is ever done. Prevention is rare, harassment common. Egos over honor, arrogance over procedures, lies over the truth.
Rolling at 100+ MPH (Code 3 or not)is putting yourself and others in grave danger no matter how dire the excuse. Beyond being the height of unprofessionalism, driving like a maniac at those speeds is criminal. WHY? because people DIE driving that fast.
What would the story be if Darling had been the one killed?
Maybe someone can enlighten me. I don't see how Gillespie lied.
1. He called a press conference after the officer was killed. That happens every time an officer dies or is critically injured.
2. He said he was running with lights and sirens on. I'm guessing the trailing officer told him that, so he got bad info.
3. He said Darling was arrested for DUI. Darling WAS arrested for DUI.
4. He said we'll know more as the investigation moves along.
They released Darling the day his blood alcohol came back at below the legal limit.
He called a press conference to announce prelim findings on the accident, gives the speed, lack of lights/sirens and no seatbelt. Darling remains uncharged.
I also don't understand what people want. If Metro came out and said, "No comment," everyone would be screaming about a cover up. Yet everyone screams about a cover up even though Metro has been pretty damn transparent throughout this process.
This whole incident has been a peek into the minds of the schizophrenic Las Vegas public. You want the whole story immediately, but you don't want Metro to tell you the story until they know all the facts. The media owes Darling an apology for reporting that he was arrested for DUI, when he was arrested for DUI. You hate the police, but you want them there when someone breaks into your house. You can't stand the fact that the police speed, yet when that person breaks into your house, you complain that Metro didn't arrive fast enough.
I sit here and read all these posts,and it shows a few of them seem to be in law enforcment? Lets get your facts straight here, 1 where does it say anywhere in the drivers handbook that you as law enforcment have the right to break the laws that all have to abide? He didnt have a seatbelt ticket for any normal joe! He was going well past the speed limit,normal joe,would have been thrown in jail! All the witnesses that were there,threatened with arrest! The second officer down right lied! I remember a few years back they had this same problem in cali with many out of line officers doing as they saw fit. Metro is out of control,and will do as they please whenever they please. They talk down to people,treat them like they are guilty before they even get out of the patrol car!How can anyone trust an officer now,with all the lies that are pouring out of metro? Now that the facts have come out metro has but one thing they can do, demand that Gillispie resign! The second officer be charged as well,but for more than just fileing a false report,but also the accident its self! Metro will dodge a bullit if any,or all of this officers arrests come back on them.We as citizens of this valley should demand that he step down,if not only to save face for himself,but for the badge he swore to abid by!I do have many freinds in metro,and will admit after all this has come to pass,they hang there heads low with discust with there leader.All i can say is i see another Signal Hill on the rise,and indeed if it does come to pass,god help all whom drive in this city! I have to admit that i have lost alot of trust with this department,and shake everytime im behind the wheel. I never know when i ll be pulled over for doing exactly what i see them do!Not all of metro is bad,but i ll bet my last dollar that its up in the 70% range that they have no RIGHT to wear that badge! I do have a message for metro though, not everyone you pull over is a bad person. I learned alot from my training officer and the way he handeled anyone. Was allways with understanding,compassion, and would listen! Wake up you guys and gals, we all bleed the same color,just because you wear a badge dosent make you god!And ya,i wore one for many years,and have to admit that this is one of the worse i have ever dealt with!!! RIP OFFICER MANOR.
And i would like to add one last thing, a few of the comments that i have read seem to come from metro officers? If indeed thats the case,then you are exactly what this department dosent need!I will also add in my closeing,i have told all my children that drive,if they feel they HAVE NOT broken the law to continue to a well lit area,and bring attention to yourself!When it comes time for court,i too know the law,and how to interpet it,and will have you in the judges chambers before you can bat an eye!
If the officer would have been driving properly, their probably would not have been an accident and we would not be writeing these comments
911firegirl:
Careful, a moth flies to close to the flame. I appreciate your honesty, as do most readers, just better for you to watch from the sidelines.
I am not saying don't voice your feelings or experiences, I just don't want your co-workers to see you as not a part of them. I know there is a hidden couture at your workplace which may blind-side you.
You are able to see all around what is going on, and for that we truly need your insight to help change the couture where you work. If you are too loud in your over-all discontentment of the current practices some unscrupulous individuals may "set-you-up", no fault of yours.
While we do have protections under the law, it is pound foolish to speak in the first person or allow to much personal information out about yourself, comsect.
I really did like your insight, lots.
"like every other Metro officer he abused the responsibility entrusted to him" As if you know this to be true! Another inane comment from one whp purports attacking inane comments...
I can only say maybe you all should go on some "ride alongs" and see what and how and why the police do what they do. I think you would be surprised. I have a good friend who is a cop and I was surprised and learned a lot. There is one problem for most of you though, YOU CANNOT BE A CRIMINAL so my bet is that most of you would not be permitted to do so. Since this is vegas my other bet is that most of the hate rather than concern on fixing the problem is coming from uneducated people who have in fact contributed to the crime and the downfall of the community. There are people like that all over and they have there place in society and thats OK. We have police that are good and that will shine a light on them, we have police that will help kids that hate them stemmed from poor parenting, we have police that will still chase bad guys and risk their lives for scum bags. There will always be a few bad cops just as other professions and the news will still exploit the stories that draw the public. If your all so concerned with telling the truth I hope your all smart enough to see that the media does it everyday! Maybe you should ponder that. As I said earlier it was an accident just like the 50+ accidents that may claim lives this coming weekend. If your all so concerned go do something about, better yet take accountability for yourself and be a better person.
My heart goes out to the officer's family who have to realize, at least in the back of their minds, that he is no longer with them due to his own careless, irresponsible behavior. That is a hard pill to swallow.
cambridge -
your defense of the police is notable. but in this case there is no defense. driving 109mph without lights or sirens on a city street is a criminal negligent act. Darling is very lucky to be alive and yet the police still won't admit they were wrong. And there remains the issue of the other officer. now they are saying he wasn't interviewed at the scene but the arrest report clearly states the lights are on. the police story does not add up.
gillespie did the right thing in coming forward but he still has massive egg on his face over this. his credibility is low. i doubt he will fully recover.
You can actually be charged with a DUI even if you register a .000 on a breathalyzer...
A DUI doesnt necessarily mean it is alcohol related .... 'Under the influence' can be any alcohol , stimulant or drug in your system - it is the discretion of a peace officer to administer a variety of field sobriety tests that they so choose to use.
The main purpose of administering a field sobriety test is to determine sufficient presence of a person's impaired state or altered judgement..... regardless if the person is over or under the 'legal limit' of intoxication.
It is up to the law enforcement agency to show a burden of proof of how a person was determined 'under the influence'.... generally a blood-alcohol content or a drug recognition test with a positive reading - along with any field sobriety test method that was administered , and determined that the subject 'failed' any one method of the test administered.
One thing is getting pulled over on a routine traffic stop and determine you have a .035 BAC , in most cases the officer will give you a warning and you go on your way providing no more tests are administered .... or even if you were instructed to go thru additional tests , if it is determined the officer declares the subject 'passed' the test(s) , its all good.
Another thing is being involved in a fatality accident while having a .035 and a .02 blood alcohol level - it changes everything - , the law just wants it documented and attempt to use this low intoxication state against you and try to bear leverage of which party is at fault.
"It was a valid arrest," Gillespie said, adding Darling failed a sobriety test.
Notice the sheriff did not disclose which field sobriety test was used and why Mr. Darling was declared as 'failed' a test method that was administered , it surely was not the BAC level in his system that determined he failed the sobriety....
Now picture this : How would I react when I nearly faced death by having some 4000 lb. patrol vehicle (on a code 1 routine response -no lights no siren) colliding into me at a 90mph+ speed ....
I bet I would fail any field sobriety test that was administered while never being under the influence of any stimulant or drug because my nerves would be shot being involved in some major accident by any public safety official that had no disregard for the law itself as by operating speeds of 109mph as reported and was clearly at fault by not activating lights or siren and exhibition speeding at the same time as if it was a emergency response (code 3 lights and siren while speeding).
I would seek litigation if I were Mr. Darling.
MEMO TO METRO:
1.Apologize to Mr. Darling.
2.Write a large 6 figure check to Mr. Darling.
3.Conduct Metro-wide training on proper driving, policy and liability.
END MEMO.
This was a tragedy all around the way around. No one wins... One man is dead, and leaves a grieving family behind, with a little girl growing up without her father. The other man, Mr. Darling, was fired from his job, he and his family drug through the mud, and I'm sure emotionally scarred for life. For both families life will never be the same..
In a perfect world, Officer Manor would have had his lights and sirens and seatbelt on, driving at a reasonable speed. Mr. Darling would have waited to have a beer until he got home from work..
I think there is a lesson in this for us all..
For the Officers.. please, please, remember to put on your lights, sirens, and seatbelts. I know many times you are in a hurry, but driving at 109mph is absolutely insane.. Thank God there wasn't a pedestrian trying to cross the street.. a person would have never had time to get out of the way. Also, at a speed that high, it is easy to lose control of a vehicle. We want the Officers and the people of Clark County safe. Please don't do things to make us afraid of you, but shine as role models for us all.. We count on you when we are in trouble, so we need to have that trust. You once saved me and my daughter's(when she was a small baby)lives.. I will always remember that with great appreciation.
For the people that drink and drive... In Mr. Darling's case, I do think he did have his facilties about him, as he acted fast and in a responsible manner after the accident.. However, I don't condone drinking and driving. I think the .08 is too high, and we need to change that. Most people who drink then get in their car, think they are OK to drive, which is rarely the case. Alchohol reacts differently on each person..
All in all, I hope that people will remember what can happen if they drink and drive, and reconsider before doing so. I hope that our Officers will remember the mistakes that Officer Manor made, and put on their lights, sirens, seatbelts, and drive a reasonable speed limit..
Maybe Mr. Darling should consider getting a lawyer and suing the deceased's estate for HIS pain and suffering, both physical and mental - after all ANYONE driving that fast with NO lights or sirens is certainly putting EVERYONE ELSE at risk - so perhaps the estate should pay up.
Its this simple, Gillispie must step down!The second officer should be fired,and then arrested for his role in the accident! As well as for all the rest of the officers that were there should see some sort of suspension!As i have stated I too am an ex officer and whould have no desire to be a metro officer! All i see here is the public turning a blind eye at law enforcment and takeing matters in there own hands. As for cambridge,sounds as you have never seen the bad side of metro? you seem to defend them fully,which leads me to beleive you get a walk everytime you are stopped? If ever! You talk about a ride along? Until you wear that badge for real and do it on a daily bases then your opinion means nothing!
Question remains. Why was this office going 109 with no lights or siren. There has to be a reason and the public needs to know.
ths, you say you wish they'd run with lights and sirens - well if they don't then why is that? How much effort does it take to flip a switch? And how hypocritical is it for a cop to give a ticket for no seatbelt and then go out without wearing one themself? I have seen Henderson PD speeding down Warm Springs at 4am with no lights, no sirens and apparently nowhere to go - perhaps they're just 'letting off steam' or blowing carbon out of their tailpipes, huh? I watched one whiz past me just a week ago and guess what, I met the same cop car at the gas station when I pulled up a little later - so cops do abuse the law and feel they are 'above' it more times than not.
Street Racing!!!
These cops where street racing to the scene, Manor was winning. Well until he hit that citizens truck.
This is what someone at work said he heard. Has anyone else heard this??
Obviously there is some police corruption in LV. Time to replace the management.
What I want to know is what officer Manor's blood alcohol content level was at the time of his death, and did he have any illegal substances in his body at the time of his death. Also the same for the trailing officer. And, was the trailing officer wearing his seat belt.
Has anyone made public the name of the trailing officer who was also blasting down Flamingo at 109mph without lights or sirens? The police felt free to trash Darling to the media but we don't even get the name of the other police lawbreaker involved. And when are we going to hear the real story about the how the arrest report says the lights and sirens were on? Who is investigating all of this? Gillespie? That would be a joke.
WHY DID METRO INITIALLY LIE TO US?
Update from Las Vegas Now website::
"As for the officer who was traveling behind Officer Manor to the domestic disturbance call, he is still on the job. Metro will not say if Officer Stuart Bowman is under investigation or not. Witnesses originally said he also did not have his lights or sirens on, but turned them on after the crash happened. Metro will not confirm that. The sheriff has said that Bowman also did not have his lights or sirens on, but his speed has not been released."
Copied from LasVegas Now website.
Metro trashes Darling and protects its own. Why hasn't Officer Bowman been charged with speeding and reckless endangerment? Did Bowman lie about the lights and sirens being on? If not, how to explain the arrest report? Why won't Metro even comment if Bowman is under investigation? Why is Bowman still on the job? Why does Gillespie still have his job?
Good for Las Vegas Now. You certainly won't see these questions raised in the Las Vegas Sun or the LVRJ.
Fire the Liar. End the corruption.
Does anyone think they could even stand up yet alone pass a sobriety test after being struck by a vehicle at 109 mph ?
Rumrunner...
Curious...from which police department were you fired??? There's lots of rules and regulations within the department, one of which is the accuracy of your report writing. I'll be curious to see the final reports of this incident. Quick tip for you-drop the e before ing.
Mistakes made by all. Maybe this will cause Metro to behave in a more cautious manner. Bottom line is that a man is dead, another man's life is ruined and a little girl has no father.
I was once arrested for DUI when an angry in-law called my plate no. and car as driving drunk as a payback for a family dispute. The cop was a friend of the in-law, so I got pulled over and 'flunked' the field sobriety test, or so the arresting officer claimed; I then blew triple zeros at the station and had no drugs in my system. No matter what, you or I or Mr Darling will 'flunk' the field sobriety test whenever it suits the cops[especially in this case, where the cop was driving recklessly].CYA is the Metro motto.
I don't think anyone could pass a field sobriety test after they get pasted by a Metro vehicle doing 109 mph.
That is ridiculous. The guy was probably disoriented and stunned at a minimum.
There is absolutely no reason why any police officer should put in danger lives (including their own) in response to 911 calls.
Manor may have used poor judgement, but what is really wrong is Metro not having a firm pursuit policy that limits (you can never eliminate) risk.
If I was Gillespie I would hang the cop that filed a false report regarding lights and sirens. He embarrassed his Chief, he humiliated the Department and he discredited police officers in general.
Public credibility is foremost. The citizen is the Cop's best friend. The last thing Metro should want to do is alienate the citizenry.
Comment removed by staff.
NO ANGRY READER
YORU WRONG ALTHOUGH THE OTHER DRIVER WAS NOT DRUNK
HE OBVIOUSLY PULLED OUT IN FRONT OF A CAR DOING 110MPH SO ---YES--- HE IS AT FAULT AS WELL AS THE OFFICER INVOLVED
TYPICAL WEST COAST LIBERALS BLAME EVERYONE BUT YOURSELVES
THE ONLY REAL PROBLEM IS LAW ENFORCEMENT HAS BECOME A BUSINESS
INSTEAD OF FILLING THE JAILS WITH CRACK DEALERS, PETOPHILES, MURDERERS, BANK ROBBERS ETC.
THEY FILL THE JAILS WITH PEOPLE WHO HAVE SMOKED POT OR CHEATED THE I.R.S. OUT OF $42.
PUT THE "REAL" CRIMINALS IN JAIL AND MAYBE SOME OF THESE BRAINDEAD JERK0FFS WONT SPOUT OF AT THE MOUTH ABOUT HOW ALL COPS ARE BAD
INSTEAD OF KNOCKING THE COPS
CALL YOUR CONGRESSMAN AND DEMAND MORE JAILS FOR THE TRUE CRIMINALS
BUT MOST OF YOU LIBERALS WONT DO THAT YOU LIKE TO BLAME THE POLICE INSTEAD OF GETTING OF YOUR LAZY @$$ AND DOING SOMETHING TO CHANGE THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM
Wow, MAGSNY1999, sounds like you have some anger management and aggression issues, How long have you been with Metro?
Well looks like MAGNY1999 is here to speak for Metro!
Making a left turn you are required to yield to on coming traffic. Normal driving speed being 45 MPH you can judge distance and make your turn. Speeds above 70 MPH can and are illusions on the brain. That is why we have speed limits. Now speeds of 100 plus and 109 these are Nascar speeds. Officer Manor clearly made a mistake and injured a citizen and could have killed him. That was not intent it was an accident. The citizen could have been anyone of us. The citizen was just driving home after getting off work. So he stop an had a beer on the way home. He is a working taxpaying citizen who has become a victim. Again this could be anyone of us. He truck was destroyed he was injured he lost his job and the Sheriff went on TV and slandered and flat out lied on him. We now are getting bits of truth instead of the lies that the Sheriff spouted on TV. I for one and happy that we have the truth coming out.
LET ME TELL YOU ONE THING CAMBRIDGE, I WAS NOT FIRED! I LEFT,BY WAY OF THANKS OF LEE BACA! YA,HE S THE ONE WHOM SET PARIS HILTON FREE AFTER ONLY SERVEING 47 MINS IN JAIL!THIS TOWN IS NOTHING SHORT OF THE OK CORAL! WHY DONT YOU TRY WEARING THE BADGE FOR A WEEK. BET YOU COULDNT HANDLE IT FOR 10 MINS!
Ya there can be something done here, clip the rouge punks out of the department! You see an officer doing wrong,call it in 311. they have gps,and can be tailed.Its time for metro to get it out of there head that this is not there play ground!I for one have lost all faith in metro! Even after this,they seem to drive like they want and break the same laws that they are suppost to uphold! It go s as follows. monkey see,monkey do! Until i see any change,my feelings will remain the same!Its no longer to protect and serve,its more like i can do as i please,and get away with it!!! And to see anymore posts from officers defending these actions see if any real citizens help in the future? And if indeed you defend these practices,your just what we dont need here!Pull me over,and just see how fast i will have that ticket dropped,and have you in judges chambers!
If nothing else, this incident has been a tremendous gift to defense attorneys in this town. Every time an officer testifies there is a built-in challenge to their credibility thanks to Sherrif Doug's initial press conference and the proven false police report.
With regards to any charges kept against Mr. Darling, what jury could possibly believe he failed a FST that was given by an officer who falsified his report? On top of that, only a single test was given and under non-standard conditions to boot.
The fact that Officer Bowman is still on normal duty should be overwhelming cause to remove Sherrif Doug from office ASAP, including via recall or impeachment if possible. This single incident has greatly diminished the DA's ability to prosecute cases with the aid of LVMPD.
Lee Bacca, lol isn't that the guy who won after his opponent died leaving him the only one on the ballot, lol. Regardless of if you contribute to society it is a wonderful thing that we do have rights that can be exercised in court. I commend the sheriff during a tough time making decisions based upon info that was given to him by his officers. Those officers that do not tell the truth should be held accountable and I'm sure that they will. One thing that still amazes me is all the finger pointing. Where is everyone during election time? I was there and contribute to the vote and support the vote. It is never a perfect world but we can only lead by example. I'm glad that one unfortunate tragic event does not bring down the whole system, if that were the case we would be in grave shape. Maybe instead of chastising we should rally around the department to help fix the issues rather than just fire people. There are those that are part of the problem and those that are part of the solution, which one are you?
"I'm glad that one unfortunate tragic event does not bring down the whole system, ..." - cambridge
It is not just one event, this is just the latest in a series of events that indicate a culture problem in the various law enforcement agencies in and around Clark County. It is not a problem that can be solved by training, but rather by wholesale replacement of personnel who do not understand or accept that they are public servents.
Even if you grant that Sherrif Doug was relying on bad information from officers at the scene, at the very least he should have been aware of the posibility (probability) of it being less that accurate given the history of that department. It is my opinion that this culture problem starts at the very top and the officers in the field are doing what is expected of them by the top brass when they falsify reports to protect one of their own.
Sherrif Doug exercised incrediably poor judgement in the handling of this case at every stage, it is no wonder that the field officers do the same on a routine basis.
Hey Rumrunner, learn how to spell! How could you ever have been a LEO? (Law enforcement Officer) Your spelling is atrocious. I doubt very much you were with any agency. Come on, get a clue! Peace
Let me point out that i was under lee baca at the very beginning,and if you werent there,then keep your opinions to yourself! And may i point out to you salsa, you write a few hundred reports,and then tell me your fingers dont hurt.No drug takes away my dayly pain. As i stated before,i am an ex cop.There is one thing i can point out in regaurds to the officers, they go from one type of person to the next,and have to play everything in the book at times.But good training,and the right personality is key! They need to look at it as if they were in this situation,and how would they react?Thats from good training! Never once did my training officer abuse are unit,or his athority once! Never forgot that. He told me you are one of them, and put yourself in there shoes.Lead by example!Yes the numbers are low for the area they patrol,but what im saying lead by example!If the officers at the accident made false statements,they should be treated just like JOHN Q PUBLIC! Just because they have a badge,dosent give them the right to be above the law. It it turns out to be the case,then we have no real law in town anymore!
All this talk about LEO not doing their job and John Q Public loosing respect for LEO is why the under world controls the hood. If LEO continues down this path the citizens will never use crime stoppers in the hood, and LEO will forever be looked at as the enemy of the peeps in the hood.
This incident along with all the past public relations fiascos are lowering the integrity of LEO in Clark County. All of LEO managers know once integrity with John Q. Public is lost you can never fully regain it to its past highest level.
For any LEO trying to support the failed performance of the department, stop, you are only making matters worse in the eyes of the public. Any of Darling's detractors, along with all the rest of the extended LEO family, brothers, and sisters you need to do some serious soul searching and introspection after our loss of Officer James Manor (RIP) so we can glorify his loss in an honorable way of upholding the law and protecting our public.
It would be nice to wish for, and get the things we want to be. There was once a time like that; then because of the lack of rapid communications and technology, evidence could be arranged to favor an out come. Those day are long gone, today is a new day, one where data rules over humane desires to sway opinion. The truth is more relevant today than ever before, because of technology (solid state, integrated circuits and the inter-net) and its use.
Leave your old ways in the past, evolve to the 21st century, you will be much better for it as will the public with better service. It may take several years for Mr. Darling to prevail, but the cost to the department and community will be the most hurt by the selfish actions of a few without honor who will besmirch Las Vegas.
Viva Las Vegas!
I think this may be my last post but I hope to set the record straight. This was a tragedy by all. We need to rally around the police and work on training. I think that our incredible Mayor Goodman and our awesome president Obama will help generate some tax dollars to help out with training. Another option is to open our borders and start taxing those people as well, heck they are all driving around in a pick up truck most likely sharing it rather then driving two cars! Let them work and generate more money for our country, heck let them send there kids to Michigan for college. I know plenty of single dads, with four or five kids maybe start a work program for the kids to help clean up the city. As for the drinking and driving start developing the TAM cards and similar systems, they WORK! Lastly I hope all of you are safe on the streets and avoid accidents and harm, avoid those people that have lived here for 20 years and get scared of a plane flying over them while they drive!They are living in the past. Be safe and be well.
IT JUST ABSOLUTELY EATS ME UP WHEN SO MUCH SYMPATHY AND FORGIVENESS IS PUT IN PLACE BECAUSE SOMEONE THAT HAS A "TITLE" (POLICE OFFICER) IS LOOKED AT DIFFERENTLY AND FORGIVEN FASTER BECAUSE HE WAS SERVING AND PROTECTING.. YEAH, WHO WAS HE PROTECTING? AND WHAT WAS HE SERVING?? SOUNDS TO ME LIKE THE OFFICER WAS PUSHING HIS LIMIT WAY TOO FAR.. HOW MUCH NEWS COVERAGE WOULD A CIVILIAN HAVE RECEIVED IF THE CRASH HAPPENNED EXACTLY AS IT DID, ONLY NO POLICE OFFICER WAS INVOLVED?? LITTLE, IF ANY..UNLESS IT WAS ALL NEGATIVE COVERAGE ABOUT THE OUT OF CONTROL PERSON THAT TOOK HIS OWN LIFE DUE TO AN ONCOMING CAR TURNING LEGALLY INTO HIS PATH..THAT HE COULDN'T RE-ACT QUICK ENOUGH TO AVOID A COLLISSION.. ON NEW YEARS MORNING OF 1994, MY SISTER, A FRIEND, AND MYSELF WERE VICTIMS OF A POLICE PERSUIT GONE TERRIBLY WRONG.. I WAS THE DESIGNATED DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE WHICH I DROVE STRAIGHT INTO THE PATH OF THE PERSON BEING CHASED.. EVERYDAY I DEAL WITH THE AFTER EFFECTS OF A BROKEN NECK,BACK, FEMUR, TIBIA, FIBIA, BOTH ANKLES, KNEE, WRIST AND JAW ALONG WITH THE PAIN OF KNOWING MY SISTER IS BRAIN DEAD AND PARALIZED AS WELL.. I AM CERTAIN THAT THE POLICE OFFICER INVOLVED HAS NO REMORSE FOR HIS ACTIONS.. HOWEVER, INNOCENT PEOPLE, LIKE ME AND MY SISTER LIVE IT EVERYDAY, NEVER TO FORGET. I AM SAD FOR THE POLICE OFFICER'S FAMILY, AND EXTREMELY OUTRAGED AT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT'S COWARDLY ACTS OF TWISTING THE FACTS TO AVOID COMPENSATING ALL WHO FELL VICTIM TO ONE OFFICER'S BAD DECISION..