Former constable deputies sue, say they were told to lie

Two former high-ranking Las Vegas Township Constable deputies say they lost their jobs for refusing to lie to Clark County commissioners about a failed reality TV pilot showing a behind-the-scenes look at the law enforcement office.

In a District Court lawsuit filed last week, Dan Palazzo and Tim Beckett said Constable John Bonaventura wanted them to tell commissioners that the profanity-laced video was meant for training.

They also were asked to lie that Bonaventura could not attend a Jan. 3 commission meeting to discuss the video because he was "under the weather," according to the lawsuit.

Palazzo and Beckett did not attend the commission meeting.

Bonaventura told the Review-Journal that he never asked anyone to mislead commissioners and that he didn't renew the deputies' contracts because both had lied about their peace officer credentials to make more money.

Palazzo was mistakenly issued the wrong peace officer training certificate, which has been rescinded, Bonaventura said. He did not elaborate on Beckett's training.

The constable said he plans to file a countersuit to recoup funds used to pay their salaries.

Calls to the attorney representing Beckett and Palazzo were not returned Monday.

The handful of constable deputies who attended the commission meeting said the video was meant for training.

It shows deputies carrying out evictions and serving court papers, among other duties, while using colorful language in some instances.

One deputy identifies himself as being with the "police."

Bonaventura appeared in the video, which his office did not pay for, and it was posted on his personal website.

Commissioners blasted the video and slammed Bonaventura for not attending the meeting.

Commissioner Susan Brager called the video "humiliating and degrading." Commissioner Steve Sisolak said the office "could not do a worse service to the taxpayers of Clark County."

At the request of commissioners, the county performed an audit of the constable office's finances, which found the office was breaking state law by commingling payroll and office supply funds.

No criminal charges were filed.

Deputies also told commissioners that the video wasn't meant for public dissemination and that it was supposed to be password-protected online.

Those deputies were promoted and given healthy raises for defending the office, according to the lawsuit.

Bonaventura denied that claim, saying that he promoted one deputy to assume Palazzo's former duties and that other deputies were shuffled around because of a departmental reorganization.

Palazzo, a 12-year veteran who served as captain, and Beckett, a five-year veteran who served as lieutenant, said that their pay was drastically cut and that they were demoted because Bonaventura felt "abandoned" by them for not going to the meeting.

Palazzo said his pay was cut from $103,000 per year to about $15,600 plus commission. Beckett said his salary was reduced from $72,000 annually to $5,200 plus commission. Both Palazzo and Beckett advised Bonaventura not to authorize the video and did not participate in its filming, according to the lawsuit.

The office did not go through with the reality show. The video, which appeared on YouTube, has been taken down for copyright infringement.

Palazzo and Beckett are seeking more than $50,000 for civil rights violations, including right to free speech and due process, with breach of contract, emotional distress and related damages.

Contact reporter Kristi Jourdan at kjourdan@reviewjournal.com or 702-455-4519.