Whitewash is described on Wikipedia as “a metaphor meaning to gloss over or cover up vices, crimes or scandals or to exonerate by means of a perfunctory investigation or through biased presentation of data. It is especially used in the context of corporations, governments or other organizations.”

Perhaps a picture of Douglas C. Gillespie, the Clark County sheriff (the head of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, or LVMPD) should be added to that description, seeing how he and all his predecessors have routinely and consistently given a free pass to his colleagues involved in shootings.

In fact, as pointed-out by our friends at Nevada Cop Block (NVCB), in the history of the LVMPD, not one single employee involved in a shooting has been found to be in the wrong. Ever.

That includes the death of Stanley L Gibson, the spouse of NVCB contributor Rondha Gibson.

To put this in some context, Gillespie heads-up a bureaucracy of over 5,100 people with an annual budget of over 500,000,000FRNs (all stolen), that has a fleet of over 2,000 vehicles and seven helicopters. Would you want that gang of folks, with a history of zero accountability, to be in your town?

Last November LVMPD employee Jacquar Roston shot an unarmed man sitting int the passenger seat of a vehicle. Many familiar with the incident believe it unjustified.

Yet Gillespie stood by Roston, which this week caused five people on the Use of Force Board, meant to review use of force cases and make recommendations for punishment, to resign.

Said co-chairman Robert Martinez, “I can no longer support the department’s consistent effort to minimize openness and transparency.” He was joined by Glenn Rinehimer, Sandra Eddy, Jay Shafritz and Miriam Rodriguez.

Martinez put-forth that Gillespie’s inaction was due the pressure from the Police Protective Association – the police union. Their tagline – “we protect those who protect others” – is very telling. Hell, even the name of their outfit is indicative of putting first those with badges before those they purport to serve.

It is refreshing to see that some folks involved on the periphery are seeing through that sham, acting on principle, and speaking out. Hopefully others within the ranks of the LVMPD will do the same, as did Auburn, Alabama police employee Justin Hanners.

True accountability and justice can never and will never be obtained through internal “checks and balances.” If Martinez and others who quit out of disgust really want to bring-about a positive change, they must focus on the institution.

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CONTACT INFO

Las Vegas Police Protective Association
702.384.8692
9330 W. Lake Mead Blvd, Suite 200
Las Vegas, NV 89134
http://lvppa.com/contact.php

Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department
400 S. Martin L. King Boulevard
Las Vegas, Nevada
http://www.lvmpd.com/

Connect with Nevada Cop Block
http://nvcopblock.org/
https://www.facebook.com/NVCopBlock.org
http://twitter.om/NVCopBlock
http://youtube.com/nvcopblock
nvcopblock@gmail.com

 

RELATED

Five Use of Force Board members resign over sheriff’s decision to save cop’s job by Michael Quine at Las Vegas Review-Journal

Several Members of Use of Force Board Resign by Nathan Baca at 8NewsNow.com

Martinez’s resignation shakes up Metro’s Use of Force board by Gerard Ramalho at MyNews3.com