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Friday, Dec. 30, 2011 | 2 a.m.
Reality TV, Las Vegas constables
People might think of constables as affable public employees whose job mainly is to serve civil documents — such as subpoenas, property liens, court summonses and wage garnishments — and enforce evictions. They’re recognized by state law as “peace officers,” and they carry guns and Tasers, but they rarely take people to jail — and deputy constables get paid based on the number of papers they serve.
The job is more sad than exciting, especially as evictions become commonplace during the economic hell Las Vegas is slogging its way through.
A video producer thought there was enough drama and action with the job to produce a TV series test pilot featuring interviews and ride-along scenes with deputy constables in the Las Vegas Township Constable’s Office, one of a handful in the Las Vegas Valley. It had the look and feel of a home-produced reality TV show.
Constable John Bonaventura posted the video on his personal Web page.
And some of the content is alarming state and county elected officials who have stumbled upon it.
The video, titled “Dec. 15, 2011, Test Pilot Reel for National Reality Show,” opens with a clip from an August report from CBS News about the jobs of Las Vegas Township constables at a time when foreclosures and job losses are epidemic. After the stage is set, the real TV video gives way to the locally produced story, beginning with Lou Toomin, the constable’s public information officer.
“I’m kind of a rabble-rouser,” says Toomin, who carries a gun but whose main job is dealing with the media. “I don’t conform to the spit-and-polish (expletive), the Marine Corps crap. It’s way beyond me. It’s nitpicking (expletive).”
Toomin, who sports a graying ponytail in the video, goes on to describe vehicle stops as “probably the most dangerous thing a cop does.”
Indeed, constables can make traffic stops and can arrest people. As peace officers, state laws grant them the same rights and privileges as Metro Police, Toomin says.
The video shows a deputy constable stopping a motorist for not having his vehicle registered in Nevada. The angry driver is handcuffed and arrested.
Later, the video shows Sgt. Patrick Geary talking about evictions as “not all hugs and kisses; you’ve got to get into people’s (expletive) sometimes.”
“I wait all day long for someone to (expletive) with me,” he says.
The video veers into Geary yelling three times into his cell phone at a property manager: “Do not yell at my employee!”
There’s more, including a scene in which a deputy constable talks about how, after failing three times to serve a document to the owner of a shoe store in Circus Circus, she returned several more times because she liked shopping at the store so much.
After viewing the video, state Assemblywoman Marilyn Kirkpatrick, D-North Las Vegas, said she is considering drafting legislation to rein in some of the activities and practices of the constables. She was particularly disturbed by the deputy constable making a traffic stop and arrest.
“It appears they are going above and beyond what the state expects of them,” Kirkpatrick said, calling what she watched “an embarrassment.”
“I want to clarify what they are doing, what they can do,” she said.
County Commissioner Steve Sisolak, who also has viewed the video, said state law “definitely needs to change.” To address the office locally, he added an item to next week’s commission meeting, asking for a report on the constable’s office.
“It’s the cursing, it’s the arrest, it’s the way the office is portrayed,” Sisolak said. “It looks unprofessional.”
He said he was also troubled by deputy constables pulling over motorists.
Bonaventura is unapologetic about his employees’ conduct — and suggested that if the county launched an investigation into his office, it could open a “can of worms” involving a possible violation of state law on the part of the county relating to its handling his office’s finances.
He bristled at the notion of an elected official “even asking for a report” on another elected official.
“It’s one thing if you’re investigating a county agency like Parks and Rec, but for him to ask for this seems a bit out of his scope of duty,” Bonaventura said.
Of the video, Bonaventura told the Sun the driver shown being arrested had three outstanding warrants.
Bonaventura said deputy constables make an arrest once a month but that before he took over after last fall’s election, the office was arresting 50 people a week for outstanding warrants. His office no longer has a warrants detail, he said.
During a ride-along Wednesday, Geary explained the scene in the video in which he’s yelling into the phone. He said he was yelling at a property manager who, he said, had called one of the clerical staff in the constable’s office and “chewed her out,” leaving her in tears.
Toomin said he never expected the video to be shared with the general public. When he received it a few weeks ago, he took it as “tongue-in-cheek” from the show’s producer because it includes some cursing.
Bonaventura added that “none of us are in favor of the show. It’s going nowhere. We aren’t doing it.”
“That’s why we didn’t run it by the county people, because we didn’t have plans to go forward with it in the first place,” he said.
But the video is out of the bag, and there’s talk in the halls of the county government center about putting the constable’s office under closer scrutiny.
Sisolak said he has several questions about its operation, including the making of traffic stops.
Toomin said the stops are to enforce the state’s Fair Share program. Under that program, people who migrate to Nevada but fail to register their vehicles can be fined up to $1,200, and the public is invited to tattle on violators. The constable’s office gets $100 for each violator it turns in to the Department of Motor Vehicles.
Bonaventura said no one had contacted him as of Thursday afternoon to appear at next week’s commission meeting.
“Frankly, it’s none of their business,” he said of the threatened scrutiny. “I’m the elected official running this office. I’d be happy to give them a crash course or point them to the law because everything we do is pretty much cut and dried from (Nevada Revised Statutes).”
Holy #&@#!!!...
Looks like we got us a real-life Reno 911!
Time to pull the plug on these out-of-control EGO-MANIACS.
Finally!!! A TV show that sheds light on Las Vegas style humanity.
What an embarrassment!
I have never used the phrase "jack-booted thugs" before but....... these goons behave like "jack-booted thugs".
It just goes to show how out of control the County really is. Who is watching the store? This video gets released and the hue and cry from our County officials is almost as bad as the idiots in the Constables office.
Comment removed by moderator. Name Calling
"an embarrassment" ? Most government employees are, fortunately these clowns are not shooting people like Metro does.
Constables pulling people over for Traffic Stops? This isn't anything new.
Buffalo between Warm Springs and 95 last spring ALWAYS had a constable involved in a traffic stop every morning. You can always spot them thanks to those silver Ford Escape Hybrids they drive. They also LOVE to hang out on Industrial Road (or Dean Martin, I get so confused since the name change) between Russell and Tropicana. Not unusual at all to see about 3 of them parked there, hidden on the other side of the overpass with a 4th running radar on the south end of the road to catch speeders. Given how the Clark County Building Inspectors have been running around and writing up every hotel in town for building and/or fire violations, I figured the Constables were doing the same thing as a way to justify their jobs as well.
Bonaventura,Toomins,Geary and the bleach blonde bimbo all need to fired immediately. The county and state need to define and enforce the responsibilities of this rouge department. As if law enforcement does not have a big enough image issue in the community these idiots are the making it worse. No wonder the nit wit Bonaventura says the show was going no where, this kind of bs will surely cost some fool thier job.
When does it ever stop in Nevada?
"an embarrassment" ? Most government employees are...
No they're not... stop the generalized public employee bashing. It's gone on long enough!
The employees represented in this video should have used a common sense "filter" with regards to their comments. They come off looking awful!
"and the public is invited to tattle on violators."
I don't know about you folks, but this part really worries me too. Is this the America we want? Be a hero to the state and snitch on your neighbors?
Shades of Germany 1939.
"Time to pull the plug on these out-of-control EGO-MANIACS."
"I have never used the phrase "jack-booted thugs" before but....... these goons behave like "jack-booted thugs"
gmag39, Heretic -- for once I'm on your side with this
"Constables pulling people over for Traffic Stops? This isn't anything new."
DMCVegas -- why not? The local school cops are doing it, even though their empowering law clearly puts it out of their jurisdiction.
"The county and state need to define and enforce the responsibilities of this rouge department."
homer -- you're suggesting these constables wear to much makeup?
This town seems to be infested with cop wannabes. I remember seeing Bonaventure's election signs last year and didn't vote for him because of his fascist exhibition. Apparently it's what this county's voters wanted.
The questions need to be asked and answered -- 1) what's the NRS laws giving constables their badges, and 2) what is it about traffic stops motivating every pseudo-cop to make them?
Sisolak is definitely on the right track with Bonaventure, who seems to be way too eager to carve out his own brute-force empire here. He needs to be reminded what part of government he works for -- checked and balanced!
"Fear is the foundation of most governments." - John Adams "Thoughts on Government" (1776)
Only in Las Vegas, I voted for John Bonaventura and now I regret casting that vote to support him. A gun slinging foul mouth public information officer while representing the office.
This constable is yelling in the phone at a Property Manager for making one of his employees cry, I can only imagine, what a "shut out" by a constable if the homeowner resisted. #Whoopass
Kudos to Commissioner Steve Sisolak and Assemblywoman Kirkpatrick for stepping up to the plate and investigating what goes on in this office. I pray I won't cross paths with this office anytime soon!
Gee. With Pawn Stars on and the Fremont Street crowd - who in their right mind would not want to live in Vegas? Such a clean, wholesome place to raise a family and all.
Stopping peple with out of state plates? Please do.Ho about jersey plate with no expiration sticker.That mean unregisterd any where,please continue with these lawbreakers.
Sounds like a great way to cut costs just fell on the doorstep of the County... hand these duties over to the Sherriff's Department - Civil Division, like many other "economically strapped" counties and cities have done. Buh bye Con-Jon-Bon...
The LV Sun sucks, what a rag
these idiots? why isnt the county commissioners calling down there and telling them " SHUT IT DOWN " then fire about 10 of them!
It about time the FBI gets involved and shuts down the office for employees carrying GUNS without being a CERTIFIED PEACE OFFICER in the state of Nevada (He knows who I'm talking about, the gray headed pony tail guy)also for misconduct of state law.
If current constable is not going to take the County Commissioner's SH*^ it's time for the feds to come in and take their SH*^.
"Indeed, constables can make traffic stops and can arrest people. As peace officers, state laws grant them the same rights and privileges as Metro Police" (L.V.C.O public information officer). You can't compare the Reno 911 office with ANY POLICE/law enforcement agencies statewide, only maybe the Good springs rent a cops.
The L.V.C.O is giving the rest of the constables a bad name in the state. The deputies about a month ago were giving parking tickets to people who were parked in a CITY OF L.V meter in front of the Regional Justice Center. Last I checked they work under the constable's office which belongs to CLARK COUNTY not CITY OF L.V. I urge anyone who was a victim of these tickets get in contact with the county commission.
This is what happens when we elect people who clearly have no knowledge in the office that they seek. The constable thinks he can do whatever he wants whenever he wants.
The state law NEEDS to be changed for the CONSTABLE and SHERIFF race. It should be that you need to be a holder of a P.O.S.T (peace officer standers and training) certificate. Our current sheriff of Clark County does not need to worry about this, only the current constable. He does not have a post certification to be a peace officer in the state.
Both the current constable and his so called Public Information Officer have a history and previous run-ins as DEFENDANT'S!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am a retired Police Officer. I have lived on and off in Las Vegas over the past 4 years since retiring hoping to find some part time security work. I was a field traing officer, firearms instructor and anti gang instructor in the school system. Yet I am told that I dont meet the minimum qualifications to work some flunky low paying job at a hotel. I watched this video and just amazed by the lack of professionalism in these employees. Granted during my 28 years of public service I was not always a perfect angel though I never stooped to this level of conduct. Even the female Officer incorrectly loaded the magazine into her handgun god help her if she ever has to use it because she is setting it up for a malfunction. Hopefully her supervisors read this and give her some instruction it may save her or someone elses life. Police Officers are human and make errors like everyone but the standard of conduct is higher than those working in should we say not so public service.
@buckiefan
Agreed. Totally unprofessional behavior. Just the way they are talking, with the swearing is a sign of unprofessionalism.
I dealt with a couple of constables once. Did you know they carry the ability to run a credit-card for payment in their vehicles? At least they were polite.
WOW!! Did you clearly here the African American Deputy on the video state that when he goes up to a door and knocks he says "POLICE" it seems that he forgets his uniform says Constable not POLICE!! the public needs to know that these Deputies are at will employees and that they are not even recognized under the PERS retirement system! They get paid by each document they serve. This offices needs to be under federal review, let's see when they are pulling you over under the fair share program they are motivated by the number of tickets they write which is how they get paid look at the video these are not true officers and I commend Sisolak for finally getting this out in the open. Bonaventura fooled the voters now they are gonna see the damage that this phony will cause. I smell a re-call in the
works. MR TOOMIN with a gun May god help us, what a slap in the face to all the
hard working real law enforcement officers in the valley that have worked and
trained hard to become POLICE. The black deputy is Isaac James he needs to be
told that he is not a police officer as he states in the video but merly a process server. As for Bonaventura enjoy your remaining time in office cause your days are numbered maybe you and Toomin can do some yard work in that knew house you bought together ( oh how cute) hope it wasn't money from the constables office that you somehow redirected to your pocket!! Only god knows what will happen to that office COMMiSSIONERS please continue you are getting warmer.
To my fellow bloggers;
Needless to say that was not a very flattering video of the workings of our Constables Office. If I were in charge I would definitely edit that video to reflect a more professional and experienced image, especially editing some of the harsh language used. It is a sad part of Law Enforcement to have to evict someone from their home, but it is still the law. As for registration fees on vehicles that has always been a sore point with me, as this state is allowed and authorized to collect fees for vehicles that are supposed to be registered and insured and that are constantly being used on this state's roads. If I can obey the law, then so can they. Just an old veteran cop reflecting,
Gordon Martines
I'll bet dollars to doughnuts that the Constables have been told by either the State or the county to step up their action to help bring in more revenue.
Constables, like motorcycle cops, are little more than glorified tax collectors with a gun and a badge.
Very unprofessional language but he is considered a police officer in the state of Nevada and NRS supports traffic stops, so the only problem were the officers demeanor.
Gordon Martines for Constable!! At least with your 40 plus years as a police officer you would assure that these clowns get there minds right on what there job really is.
Voting Jon Bonaventura ( by the way not of the famous judge team bonaventure) into this office will guarantee he will erase all the hard work that Bobby G and his team did in making the constables office profitable. Good job to the person inside that office who pointed this video out to the Sun & County officials. Bonaventura states the county can't touch him, hummm maybe he should look back years ago and realize that the county can abolish that office. He is going to get the county sued big time so tax paying lax vegans take notice and when re-call petition comes around be sure to sign it.
"If I were in charge I would definitely edit that video to reflect a more professional and experienced image, especially editing some of the harsh language used...As for registration fees on vehicles that has always been a sore point with me, as this state is allowed and authorized to collect fees for vehicles that are supposed to be registered and insured and that are constantly being used on this state's roads."
GordonM -- I adamantly disagree with you on editing. How would that not be lying to We the people?
About registration, what exactly is the state's compelling interest in private property used for private purposes on the public right of ways being on any state registry? Like marriage licensing, our ancestors bought into that hoax.
Both our state and federal governments were Constituted to secure our liberties, not replace them with this police state.
"I heartily accept the motto, 'That government is best which governs least'; and I should like to see it acted up to more rapidly and systematically." -- Henry David Thoreau 1849 "On the Duty of Civil Disobedience"
Notice they arrested a Latino in the video! It is a shame that the Latino in video is more of a peace officer then the deputy who arrested him.
Betty, I'm going to go out on a limb here and say it's most probable that he got arrested for no license, no registration, and no insurance; all being repeated offenses. It's a shame that a lot of Latinos can't obey traffic law and obtain this documentation because they snuck into this country illegally; can't blame them though, Mexico is a piece of crap since the Cartels took over completely.
You got me on that one, I agree!! You have great elected constables in NLV & Henderson that have been police officers and that are good for the constable system
And you have this bozo that has never worn a police uniform and he gets elected. If I were others in our political system take notice this guy can put his name in for sheriff next and probably win cause the voters are not doing there research.. OMG could you imagine Bonaventura running METRO, we would be in a world of S*** better yet think of Toomin as a DEPUTY CHIEF holly Molly bat man we'd be in trouble. Good job Danny for releasing all this it shows that someone on the inside will get that clan removed. Rumor has it that Bobby G is gonna run again I can't wait so that we can get back to business.
"...I'm going to go out on a limb here and say it's most probable that he got arrested for no license, no registration, and no insurance; all being repeated offenses."
QWERTY -- none of those are actually crimes, regardless of what the law says. Exactly how does being without a license, registration, or insurance harm anyone except government coffers -- and an excuse for the stop and searching the person and vehicle for something else to pin him with?
"Rightful liberty is unobstructed action according to our will within limits drawn around us by the equal rights of others. I do not add 'within the limits of the law' because law is often but the tyrant's will, and always so when it violates the rights of the individual." -- Thomas Jefferson, letter to Isaac H Tiffany (1819)
I really am sick of the whole sovereign citizen movement, federal law and the constitution are not the only rules you need to abide by.
Note the second sentence and then below.
""""QWERTY -- none of those are actually crimes, regardless of what the law says. Exactly how does being without a license, registration, or insurance harm anyone except government coffers -- and an excuse for the stop and searching the person and vehicle for something else to pin him with?""""
From a previous post; note the last part.
For the rest of you, I'm against arbitrary age limits on anything. As that link from Bob_R showed such laws are completely disconnected from reality. As a class elderly drivers should be tested more often, that's all.
I see some conflicting positions.