Lombardo Calls for a Raise for Nevada State Police
September 8, 2022
LAS VEGAS, NV – Today, Republican gubernatorial candidate and Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo called for a raise for the Nevada State Police for the first time since 2006.
Lombardo advocated for an immediate raise for patrol officers to be allocated from the $2.7 billion in funds that Nevada received through the American Rescue Plan Act. To date, Sisolak has not given a dime to the Nevada State Police from the ARPA funds, even though the funds can be used to provide pay for essential workers.
“Steve Sisolak’s disregard for the Nevada State Police is egregious. Nevada State Police vacancies are at a crisis level, but Sisolak can’t be bothered to give them any attention, raises, or help,” said Sheriff Joe Lombardo. “As governor, I will immediately use remaining ARPA funds and our expected budget surplus to give state police officers signing and retention bonuses, while also ensuring that the patrolmen receive better wages next session.”
Not only has Sisolak denied giving the Nevada State Police funds from ARPA, but Sisolak also denied the Nevada Police Union’s request to address Nevada State Police wages in a special legislative session. In response to Sisolak’s disastrous management of the state police, the Nevada Police Union said, “Gov. Sisolak has been the most anti-union, anti-police governor we have ever worked for.”
“As a former Division Chief at the Nevada Department of Public Safety, I'm deeply disappointed and dismayed by how Governor Sisolak has treated the brave men and women of Nevada's State Police,” said Assemblyman P.K. O’Neill. “It's time we have a governor who will step up and deliver for law enforcement on day one – unlike Steve Sisolak who has only acknowledged this crisis in an election year and still refuses to do anything about it."
This year, by the end of January alone, the NPU announced it had already lost 30 members. The Nevada State Police has seen excessively high turnover rates over the past few years, with a turnover rate of 135% in 2020, which increased from 109% in 2019 and 127% in 2018.
“We have an urgent safety need that must be addressed on our state highways. The front line officers and first line supervisors of the Nevada State Police have felt neglected and ignored far too long,” said Sheriff Darin Balaam. “As a result, our highways are less safe, traffic fatalities have increased across the state, and the Nevada State Police has a 50% vacancy rate. We need a governor who prioritizes and listens to Nevada law enforcement on day one.”
While there used to be about 180 troopers patrolling the Las Vegas Valley, there are now below 60. In March, the 8 News I-Team reported that there are times when just three or four troopers are patrolling the major roads and freeways in Las Vegas. As reported by the I-Team, “the decrease in manpower is fueling unsafe conditions – where speeding, impaired driving and recklessness are causing more death on the road in a 24/7 town.”
Earlier this summer, a NPU spokesman told Fox 5 that the Nevada State Police is “pretty close to being broken” and that pay hikes need to come immediately or else more troopers will leave.
Nevadans can learn more about Joe and his vision for Nevada at www.joelombardofornv.com and by following him on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
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