Wednesday, February 18, 2004
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Taxi company owners present reward plan

Tipsters would get $20,000 for information leading to arrests

Southern Nevada taxi company owners propose to underwrite a permanent $20,000 reward for tips that lead to the arrests of suspects in cab-related crimes.

Whittlesea Blue Cab Chief Operating Officer Brent Bell presented the proposal to the Nevada Taxicab Authority's board Tuesday, just one week before the board is expected to consider whether to require surveillance cameras in all cabs.

Bell did not say whether his reward plan would act in lieu of the camera proposal, and the board took no action on Bell's plan. A start date and tip line phone number were not announced at the meeting.

Cabdriver and camera advocate Art McClenaghan, who did not attend the meeting, said afterward he would welcome Bell's idea in addition to cameras, but "the timing seems kind of funny. We've been going through this for nine months. He comes up with this proposal the week before the camera (vote)."

Bell said he has agreement in principle from all Las Vegas Valley cab owners to create the reward fund. "The plan is pretty much in place," Bell said. "If a crime is committed, we can put it into action."

The reward program will be administered by CrimeStoppers, and tipsters would remain anonymous, Bell said.

Bell also said he'd like to see cabs outfitted with signs advertising the tip program, in hopes that the ads will act as a deterrent.

"If somebody is in the back of a cab and they see that sign and see we're putting $20,000 up, maybe they'll think twice before committing a crime against a cab driver," Bell said.

Bell suggested cab company owners not talk to reporters on any subject unless the reporter promises to mention the tip line in the story.

"We should all make deals and start using the press to our advantage," he said.

Also Tuesday, board members scolded authority Administrator Yvette Moore for publicly releasing the results of a cabdriver safety survey before the findings were passed on to the board and cab company owners.

The survey findings were released on the request of the Review-Journal on Jan. 27. Moore said she was obligated to act on that request since the authority is a public agency.

"I don't think you have to release information to the press that's incomplete," said board Vice Chairman Richard Land.

Added board member Jo Anna Wesley-Winn: "Why would you have to give any facts at all if nothing is valid?"

Moore said she did not believe any invalid information was released.

The survey indicated almost 60 percent of responding cabdrivers favor installing digital cameras in cabs.

"I don't think the poll was very indicative of the feelings of the drivers," Yellow Checker Star Transportation Operations Director Bill Shranko said. He said about one in 10 cabdrivers responded to the survey.