2012 PRIMARY ELECTION: SEARCHLIGHT JUSTICE OF THE PEACE

The race to be the Searchlight Justice of the Peace has grown a bit snippy. At least between two of the candidates.

Incumbent Judge Richard Hill again faces police officer David Thompson. Hill defeated Thompson by about 20 votes in a special election in 2010.

A third candidate, former court clerk Leslie Coon, is running for a judgeship for the first time.

None of the candidates has a law degree, which are not required for rural judicial posts.

Thompson, a member of the Metropolitan Police Department for 25 years, said Hill's "a nice enough guy. But he has no experience in the job that he's doing. And it shows in the job he's doing."

Thompson may be "younger, stronger, smarter and probably better looking," said the incumbent, but he's the one with six years experience on the bench or observing the court.

Hill added his opponent is "looking at retirement and it would be a real plum to stop being a Metro officer to be a judge."

Thompson said he has watched Hill conduct two hearings and believes the incumbent doesn't know the law.

"He's just not the right guy for the job," Thompson said. "I'm the only person who has any experience."

Hill, a former shift supervisor at the Mojave power-generating plant, spent three years as a pro-tem justice of the peace. Before that, he spent months observing the court. Hill said it would take any newly elected judge years to catch up to his experience.

"I'm not knocking Mr. Thompson, but he's never sat and just observed in that court once to see what a rural court judge does," Hill said.

If elected, Thompson said folks will know what will happen in his court.

"They know they will be treated fairly. They know their rights will be protected in court. And they should plan on being held accountable," the officer said.

He said he will be tough on criminals.

"Patting everyone on the back and giving them another five or six (chances) just isn't working," Thompson said.

Hill said police officers see things in black and white. In court, "there are other factors that weigh heavily when making a decision from the bench," he said.

Hill also defended himself against election year rumors that he's soft on crime.

"It's just not true, especially for repeat offenders," Hill said.

Hill admitted it has taken some time to find his voice as a judge. "It was painful at first," he said. But he has grown as a judge because he is willing to ask for help.

Coon, a grandmother who works as a cashier at a Terrible Herbst, said if elected she would make arranging activities for the youth a priority to steer them clear of drugs and alcohol.

"Our ball field hardly gets used and we have new nature trails," she said.

When asked how as a judge such activities would fall under her purview, she said, "That would be the tricky part."

Coon, in a tender voice, admitted running for election was "kinda new to me."

Contact reporter Francis McCabe at fmccabe@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-1039.