75 Findings and Recommendations Handed Down to the Department
The U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing
Services (COPS) today announced the completion and delivery of an
eight-month review of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department’s use
of force policies and practices.
The report, funded by a grant from the COPS Office, lists 75
findings and recommendations regarding officer-involved shootings and
other use-of-force issues.
The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department volunteered to undergo the
review by the COPS Office after a series of shootings in 2011. The
report focused on the use of deadly force over the last five years,
including an analysis of policies and procedures, training and tactics,
investigation and documentation and case reviews.
Interviews were conducted with 95 area stakeholders, including
community members, current and former officers and prosecutors,
community organizations and police union officials.
“One of the most important issues facing law enforcement is the public
perception of the legitimate use of force,” said COPS Office Director
Bernard Melekian.
“And far too often, the public perception of police use of force is different from those who are in law enforcement.
We’ve now developed a tool to help assist agencies address
community concerns, effectively revamp policies and practices, and
enhance both community engagement and community support.”
The report was administered as part of the COPS Office’s Critical
Response Technical Assistance initiative, designed to provide technical
assistance to agencies facing significant law enforcement-related
issues.
Using subject matter experts, interviews, direct observations,
as well as conducting extensive research and analysis, the COPS Office
assists law enforcement agencies with enhancing and improving their
policies and procedures, their operating systems and their professional
culture.
The COPS Office can issue a series of recommendations and be
instrumental in assisting agencies with the implementation of those
recommendations.
Among the findings in the Las Vegas Police Department
report is the need for significant changes to the use of force review
board, new tactical practices when multiple officers respond to a crime
scene and the implementation of new technologies, such as body cameras.
The report also found that while the department’s new use of
force policy is comprehensive, the format of the policy is cumbersome
and not structured in a clear and concise manner that would allow for
quick guidance when needed.
The report recommends that the new policy be separated into
smaller, specific policies that quickly address issues such as the use
of firearms and less-lethal weapons.
The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department has already made progress
on implementing a number of the report’s recommendations, addressing
nearly half of the calls for action prior to the release of the report
from the COPS Office.
“The issues facing the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department are not
unique. Numerous agencies are facing similar challenges,” stated
Director Melekian. “We are very encouraged by the Department’s proactive
commitment to identifying problems and fixing them. The Sheriff and his
team have been a partner throughout and we have seen results. There is
much hard work ahead, but important initiatives have already begun. The
approach taken by the Sheriff should
be a model for departments across the nation.”
The COPS Office is a federal agency responsible for advancing community
policing nationwide. Since 1995, COPS has awarded over $17 billion to
advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000
state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring
and redeployment of approximately 120,000 officers and provide a variety
of knowledge resource products including publications, training, and
technical assistance.
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