According to a statement from Sheriff Lombardo, “Nevada State Police vacancies are at a crisis level; yet, Sisolak can’t be bothered to offer them any attention, raises, or help.”
He promised to change this if he wins the race for governor.
Lombardo slammed Gov. Sisolak’s “disregard” for police as “egregious”
Nevada State Police have not received a raise since 2006, according to Lombardo’s campaign.
The candidate for governor wants to direct $2.7 billion from the American Rescue Plan to an immediate boost for patrol personnel.
The campaign statement claims despite the ARPA funding being able to be used to pay vital employees, Sisolak “has not given a dollar to the Nevada State Police to date.”
Sisolak hasn’t given a dollar to Nevada State Police
Additionally, the campaign cited a 2021 statement from the Nevada Police Union (NPU) describing Sisolak as a governor who opposes not just police officers, but also unions.
A new governor who would place a priority on law enforcement and public safety is needed, according to Assemblyman P.K. O’Neill.
The Nevada State Police reported a very high turnover rate as “troopers quit the agency for other law enforcement professions offering better pay,” according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
By the end of January 2022, NPU revealed it lost 30 members.
The department reported its overall officer turnover rate was 135% in 2020, with 60 cadets being hired and 81 officers leaving the organization. The research states the turnover rate was 109 percent in 2019 and 127 percent in 2018.
It is absolutely critical that we support the Nevada State Police. Unlike Steve Sisolak, I will always stand with Nevada law enforcement. https://t.co/dtFsBzqZDf
— Joe Lombardo (@JoeLombardoNV) September 9, 2022
This summer, local media reported there aren’t as many troopers patrolling the Las Vegas Valley as there once were. There area just 60 to be exact.
Only three or four troopers are occasionally assigned to monitor major roadways in Las Vegas, according to the 8 News I-Team.
The research claims the shortage of workers “is fueling unsafe conditions” where “speeding, damaged driving, and carelessness are leading to more fatalities on the road in a 24/7 town.”
This summer, a representative for the NPU told Fox 5 that the Nevada State Police is “very close to being broken” and even more troopers will quit if they are not paid fairly.
Sheriff Joe Lombardo Calls for More Nevada State Police Funding
Clark County Sheriff and Republican gubernatorial candidate Joe Lombardo called for a raise for Nevada State Police on Thursday and…https://t.co/XXD1qW2eaI— Down Right News (@real_DRN) September 10, 2022
As the November midterm elections approach, Lombardo and Sisolak have been debating the topic of law and order.
Sisolak attempted to blame Lombardo for the crime statistics in Clark County. As it stands today, the current figures show murder rates down, while thefts and property crimes are up in Las Vegas.
Lombardo, however, attributes Sisolak’s “soft on crime” policies, such as lowering punishments for lesser offenses and boosting diversion programs, for the rise in some crimes.
According to his campaign website, Lombardo promises to “repeal Steve Sisolak’s soft-on-crime policies,” put an end to “lower terms for drug traffickers and burglars, in addition to eradicating leniency for career criminals.”
