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Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2009 | 2:05 a.m.
Other Commission Coverage
Sun Archives
Metro Police say workers in the illegal sex industry know it’s better to be busted for solicitation in the unincorporated county rather than in the city of Las Vegas.
Metro vice officers, who patrol both jurisdictions, want Clark County to tighten its laws by bringing them more in line with the city’s ordinances.
Vice officers on Tuesday presented county commissioners with two proposed ordinance amendments aimed at closing the gap between city and county laws.
“It boils down to what side of the street you’re on,” Metro Sgt. Donald Hoier said.
One change would make it easier for police to arrest prostitutes who try to entrap undercover officers. Prostitutes who believe they might be dealing with an undercover officer often ask the officer to touch them or behave in other inappropriate ways as a test, said Metro Vice unit Lt. Karen Hughes.
In the city, such a screening technique is grounds for arrest, but not so in the county, she said.
“The girl that is out there looking for a date with a guy, that is not a prostitute, is not going to go to those extremes,” she said. “The city ordinance has that language in it. We’ve used it. It’s successful.”
The proposed amendment to the county code doesn't include a provision in the city ordinance that makes it illegal to ask an undercover officer if he is a cop, Hughes said.
The second proposal would allow police to arrest prostitutes who loiter in areas of resorts other than the casino floor. It targets prostitutes where they work — namely in resort hallways that aren’t open to the general public without a key.
Prostitutes are sometimes led past security by someone else and will loiter in the hallways to attract customers, Hoier said. The proposed change would allow Metro to arrest them for loitering.
Commissioners could bring back the proposed changes for a vote at a later meeting.
Metro’s Special Investigations Unit plans to propose a change to the way strip club operators work at a later date.
The proposed change would hold club owners, or the business license owner, key employees on duty and dancers responsible for dancers who engage in prostitution in a club. Currently, only licensees can be cited.
Ever since Gillespie took over he's had this massive fetish with prostitutes and anti-women crusade. If he spent as much time on gangs, drugs, and homicides this would be the safest city in the world. But NO, it's becoming the most dangerous city. Thanks metro for having your priorities all messed up!!
Leave sex workers alone. This is nothing but a religious overtaking of the government. This is a not a crime.
It is a waste of tax money, that should be used to go after gangs, white collar crime, and mortgage fraud.
The FBI said in 2006 that white collar crime was out of control. Yet, the 500 agents who were investigating this were assigned to investigate terrorists.
No NEW agents were ever given to the FBI to deal with white collar crime and NOW we are dealing with it- with millions unemployeed and billions given to rich corporations with no questions.
Sex workers make a good living and should be left alone-especially in this economy-or lack there of.
Well where the heck are woman in this town going to work?
I see them harass these girls everyday. Just typical law enforcement...deal with the outcome, not the source. Metro's response to not being able to protect victims of violence is, "we can't be everywhere at one time". Indeed, this is true. But you could be in many more places if you weren't wasting time with these ladies.
so we have murder rates going through the roof...we have drugs, crime out of site..and we are waisting time on street walkers? that should be the bottom of the list..while - yes it is illegal, it doesnt mandate a "serious crime" as compared to the rest of whats happening in this city..that - going along with the "dumbest" rated people in america at the bottom of the list - only above Fresno, maybe we should divert some money from "prostitute stings" to the schools??
I can tell you from my experience working casino security on the Strip: the girls could save themselves about 70% of their troubles with LE if they just did their 'job' and let it go at that.
Unfortunately, hookers choose to rob ('trick roll') their clients, bring their pimps to the floor, snatch cash tickets from slot machines and approach men who obviously are in a poor position to be solicited (with wives, drunk etc.). Add pick-pocketing and purse snatching to the picture and you have the real, 'non-Hollywood' look at casino prostitution.
These activities on the part of casino hookers create an environment where even 'hobbyists' file complaints with Security over the criminal actions the girls engage in. There is a definite impact to a casino's reputation if the hooker situation is allowed to go unchecked.
This one makes far more sense than strip club and massage parlor stings, where everyone is a voluntary participant, knowing full well what they are getting into up front.
I do believe the powers that be in Vegas are grasping at straws in an effort to save the un-savable: Las Vegas. For reasons I don't fully understand, Vegas politicians seem to think eliminating the 'Sin' from 'Sin City' will bring the tourists back.
Unfortunately, just the opposite is true.
how about you bring the city laws in line with the county. Patrol my neighborhood cops, just don't shoot me.
What a complete waste of time and effort. Arrest somebody for 'trick-rolling,' of course. But the prostitution itself is harmless.
If you really must arrest somebody for prostitution then arrest John Ensign and his ex-mistress.
Why don't metro just start shooting the prostitutes. They can claim that they're life was in danger. That way when they go to kangaroo court. They can continue to get away with murder.
"Kangaroo Court" lol.
"The proposed change would hold club owners, or the business license owner, key employees on duty and dancers responsible for dancers who engage in prostitution in a club. Currently, only licensees can be cited."
Just because one opens for business does not make one liable for everything people do to each other on the property. That's just greedy government going after the deep pockets instead of the people, who are more protected by their civil rights.
I don't see anything in this article about proposing the reverse -- the county adapt the more liberal city law. Better yet, just repeal the anti-prostitution ordinances and leave people alone!
How about the other way around or just legalize prostitution. Selling is legal. Screwing is legal. Why isn't selling screwing legal?
goingbust -- better, how about just leaving consenting adults alone? It's called freedom -- the only reason we allow these governments to exist.
If metro feels they have the need to try and put a stop to this,then so be it.I do have one problem with there ideas though,if they try to arrest for loitering,and they are on private property,wouldnt that fall into the lines of the property owner saying if they can or cannot arrest said person?Its called private property and could open the door to allowing metro to come on your very own property and doing the exact same thing on "your" property!ANOTHER GOOD REASON FOR GILLISPIE TO GO!!! LOOKING MORE AND MORE LIKE LEE BACA!AND THAT MAN RUIENED A FANTASTIC SHERRIFF DEPARTMENT!!!
Obviously, they haven't met my wife.IRS does it to everybody. Let's legalize it across the board, maybe lower my alimony payments, somehow
Gillispie could do a better service to this city by going after the officers involved with the recent actions in the past few months,and hold them accountable if they are guilty!Just might prove just how hard on crime he really is?Even if they are under the color of authority!
If Gillespie gets reelected Sin City is finished. Gangs, drugs, violent crime will be so bad after this economy and lack of metro focus it won't be safe to go outside your door. Anybody that says they never saw 3 squad cars per homeless guy is lying. And Gillespie spends all his funds on hooker stings while gangs infest our streets with their grafitti and shootings.
"The proposed change would hold club owners, or the business license owner, key employees on duty and dancers responsible for dancers who engage in prostitution in a club."
Espionage mandates?
You're under arrest for not reporting upon the private affairs of others?
LOL
You just can't make this stuff up.
: )
Ive worked in stripclubs and usually Vice summons whatever unlucky girl is dancing at the time. They NEVER get the girls that are really hookers.
Club management could easy enforce rules for dancers. The clubs do look the other way, allowing excessive contact with customers but when Vice comes in the only person in trouble is some poor girl trying to pay her rent.
the comments alone show that las vegas is a terrible city.
I agree with Ed Miley, they should start arresting some cuter ones! lol
Prostitution enforcement is like trying to enforce marijuana laws; they'' spend more money trying than harm it brings. Go back in time and remember the prohibition on alcohol that didn't work. Prostitution was legal and the ladies of the evening took pride in their work and men were much happier. Today, violent crimes against both sexes exist because the moral gods want to control every aspect of one's life.
Legalize both and we'll realize instant savings and our tax revenue would be in the trillions over the long haul and the world would be a much more productive and safer place. The cost of their service would be lowered and men could afford frequent trips and be much happier. Alcoholism and drug use would decrease and the legal system could do their job more efficiently.
PS: for those who are married; you know what happens when you say "I DO" the yes word and looking fine instantly overnight changed; the rip cord is puuled from the inflatable raft and explodes in their pants, what was a "YES" is now "NO", YOu are wondering why Don King in a leg lock, I said "NO" I no longer do that" Men then believe it's cheaper to keep her amd the riff begins.
Gangs, drug dealing, rapes, robbery, murder, auto theft...somehow Metro finds these are not significant and we have all this attention and focus on prostitution and strip club dancers. Wow! Talk about distorted priorities!
Maybe they find harassing strip club customers and dancers to be easier than their real work.
What a waste of taxpayer's money.
The thing is these girls are getting desperate for money. Now about half are robbing and or setting their Johns up. What you don't hear on the strip is the increase of robberies done by these girls. I know a number of girls that say the out of towners are causing most of the problems and it is true. They come in for a few weeks and then leave and come back during the big weekends.