LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — In a push to protect the privacy of police officers accused of misconduct, the police union is suing the department's own independent oversight board, causing concern that the perceived blue wall of silence may grow even stronger if the union prevails.
The lawsuit was filed this week on behalf of seven officers — each accused of misconduct ranging from using excessive force, to misidentifying someone as a suspect, to failing to investigate a hotel room burglary.
The Las Vegas Police Protective Association is suing the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department's Citizen Review Board, the department itself, the City of Las Vegas and Clark County in a bid to keep accused officers' names and badge numbers private.
You may remember when Sheriff Kevin McMahill said this at a Mob Museum public program in July: "I'm not asking for your blind support. When we make a mistake, we'll fess up. When we mess up, we fess up, right?"
But there's a limit to how much fessing up police may be willing to do.
The union's lawsuit claims the Citizen Review Board violates officers' privacy when it discloses names and badge numbers in meeting agendas, and in the board's findings and recommendations.
The Citizen Review Board is an advisory panel created jointly by the city and county, as explained in a video on Clark County's YouTube channel, which says:
"Who holds the police accountable, anyway? The Las Vegas Metropolitan Citizen Review Board was established to serve as an independent oversight agency tasked with reviewing complaints of misconduct against Metro peace officers and correction officers... and to review internal investigations done by the LVMPD."
The review board may also investigate any deaths which occurred while in police custody, or in connection with officers' actions.
The board may dismiss the complaint if it is unfounded, or in cases where misconduct occurred, it may recommend specific discipline of the officer involved. The sheriff has the final authority to determine what action will be taken.
Citizen Review Board proceedings are closed to the public. The lawsuit claims the names and badge numbers of officers under investigation should be kept secret, because the board's proceedings are confidential.
But the board's Policy and Procedure Manual says the nature of the allegations of the complaint, and the name and badge number of the officer(s) involved, are not deemed confidential.
The complaint goes on to argue that police officers "have a privacy interest in maintaining their anonymity...where disclosure poses a risk of harassment, endangerment, or similar harm."
All of the entities being sued have policies of declining to comment on any pending litigation.
For more reporting in this series, visit ktnv.com/13investigates.
