Statewide police union announces restructuring

The Nevada Association of Public Safety Officers on Thursday announced a reorganization that will allow it to stand alone.

The union had been affiliated with the California Organization of Police and Sheriffs.

Effective Tuesday, the police association, referred to as NAPSO, will only represent police agencies from the Silver State, including departments in Henderson, Boulder City and Elko and Nye counties. It also includes school police for the Clark County School District and Clark County park police.

NAPSO is affiliated with the Communication Workers of America, AFL-CIO local 9110.

Richard McCann, a labor representative with NAPSO, said Thursday that the umbrella union has between 1,000 and 1,200 members, and hopes to become the "quintessential law enforcement group in the state." He said its statewide reach will help give it political clout.

McCann said the nearly 40 departments in NAPSO are associated with more than 15 labor associations. NAPSO did not absorb any of its sister unions. NAPSO will work alongside affiliated unions and bring another representative to the bargaining table, McCann said.

He said that given the recession, it's important that union members don't lose benefits and wages won in earlier bargaining.

"There is not an association that is not willing and eager to assist during these hard economic times," McCann said. "But we're not just going to turn over. One problem with giving up something is that you usually never get it back."

McCann noted that the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and North Las Vegas police are not affiliated with NAPSO. McCann said he hopes that NAPSO can team with the Police Protective Association, or PPA, that represents more than 2,500 Las Vegas police officers.

PPA President Chris Collins said that both organizations generally have the same interests.

The PPA won't be joining NAPSO anytime soon though because it would be a duplication of services.

"The PPA would have no interest in joining, ever," Collins said. "It just doesn't make financial sense for us to join them."