Las Vegas police may put reserve officers on streets

As Las Vegas police face tight budget and staffing constraints, hundreds of citizens could hit the streets as armed, volunteer police officers under a new reserve police officer program unveiled Monday.

The new program, described by police as an "unpaid, at-will, commissioned volunteer position," requires 420 hours of training, about half the training of a typical officer.

The volunteers, selected from a pool of up to 800 applicants, will then receive 200 hours of Field Training Experience before being placed on active duty alongside a full-time officer for about 20 hours of duty per week.

The program comes at a time when the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department is about 250 officers short of its peak and the sheriff is calling for additional funding for staff.

In recent years, the department has eliminated 238 positions, and another 117 are vacant, according to Sheriff Doug Gillespie.

The police department typically faces a budget shortfall of about $68 million a year. And though it has relied on more than $121 million in reserve funds for several years, that money will run out when the projected $525 million budget for 2013-14 fiscal year is due.

In 2004, voters in Clark County approved a one-half cent sales tax to pay for more police officers. Las Vegas and other police departments in the county are eligible for the money.

During the 2005 legislative session, however, the Legislature limited the increase to one-fourth cent on the condition police could come back for the remainder later.

The Metropolitan Police Department wants lawmakers to enact the remaining one-fourth cent sales tax.

"I won't be supporting the sales tax change," Clark County Commissioner Chris Giunchigliani said in November. "Sales tax is regressive; we are already at 8.1 percent."

The move would free up about $75 million annually countywide that would offset decreases to other revenue sources that have hit police departments, such as property tax.

Gillespie cited the poor housing market as a major cause of the department's budget shortfall, noting that 30 percent of its budget comes from property taxes - which have declined recently.

According to the department website and application, reserve officers can carry weapons under the authority of the department while on duty.

Officer Jose Hernandez also noted they will have similar responsibilities as a police officer as long as they are assigned and within their specified patrol area and officially on duty.

Chris Collins, executive director of the Las Vegas Police Protective Association, refused to comment on program, citing months of mixed information.

According to the police department website, applicants must be 21 years old, a U.S. citizen, have no felony convictions or a conviction that requires the individual to be registered.

Applicants will be subject to a background check and must have no domestic violence convictions.

Reporter Mike Blasky contributed to this report. Contact reporter Tara Verderosa at tverderosa@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0264.