Metro discipline

The culture change sweeping through the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department is stunning in its swiftness. It’s tragic that it took Stanley Gibson’s death to make it happen.

On Friday, a year and a half after police killed the unarmed, mentally ill veteran in an apartment complex parking lot, Clark County Sheriff Doug Gillespie handed down the most severe shooting-related punishments in the force’s history. Officer Jesus Arevalo, who fired the shots that killed Mr. Gibson, faces termination. Lt. David Dockendorf, who was in charge of the scene, is in line to be demoted two ranks, to officer. And Sgt. Michael Hnatuick, who devised the plan that led to the shooting, was suspended 40 hours without pay.

It was outrageous that an assault weapon was ever aimed at Mr. Gibson in December 2011, let alone fired. The 43-year-old was lost and disoriented in his vehicle near Rainbow Boulevard and Smoke Ranch Road. A resident of the apartment complex Mr. Gibson was circling called police to report a burglary suspect. Police responded and boxed Mr. Gibson between patrol cars. He responded by revving his engine and spinning his wheels. As more officers arrived, the plan to extract the Gulf War veteran from his car took shape.

A change of command, a confusing pullback and an apparent radio malfunction resulted in Mr. Arevalo firing his AR-15 at Mr. Gibson when Lt. Dockendorf ordered another officer to fire a beanbag gun at the vehicle’s rear passenger window. Mr. Gibson was contained, clearly panicked and posed no threat to police or the public. He died at the scene.

Mr. Gillespie followed the recommendations of his department’s Use of Force Board and Tactical Review Board. Only a few years ago, such recommendations were unheard of.

In November 2011, the Review-Journal published a series on local police use of deadly force. The yearlong investigation determined that many Las Vegas police shootings resulted from officers escalating situations, and that formal reviews of deadly force incidents lacked outside checks and balances. As a result, they consistently determined police killings were justified, and officers were seldom held accountable for policy violations.

It took Mr. Gibson’s death, just after the publication of the Review-Journal series, to rally community support for rapid change within the department. Better training. Updated policies. More accountability.

Mr. Arevalo, Lt. Dockendorf and Sgt. Hnatuick can appeal their punishments. An arbitrator could yet decide to ignore the findings of Metro’s investigation and review process. That would create one more reason for civil service and collective bargaining reform.

Regardless, in the aftermath of Mr. Gibson’s death, the Metropolitan Police Department will never be the same. That’s a good thing.