Las Vegas Metropolitan Police cancels report on internal investigations of cops — saying it doesn’t fit their ‘business needs’

June 19, 2023

The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department has said it will no longer release the results of internal investigations against its own cops.

The accountability report, which was supposed to be released annually, provides the public with detailed information on officer misconduct complaints and outcomes of internal investigations, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

In a statement to the newspaper, the department said they have put a pause on producing the accountability report because it no longer suits their “business needs.”

The department only ever released one accountability report, in June 2021 reviewing the year 2019, where the Internal Affairs Bureau said it received a total of 2,096 complains in 2019 — a 13% drop from the prior year.

The police department didn’t immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment.

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - MAY 31: Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department officers line up on Las Vegas Boulevard during a Black Lives Matter demonstration demanding justice for the death of George Floyd on May 31, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Demonstrations are being held across the country after Floyd died in police custody on May 25th in Minneapolis, Minnesota. — Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department officers line up on Las Vegas Boulevard during a Black Lives Matter demonstration demanding justice for the death of George Floyd on May 31, 2020 in Las Vegas,

LAS VEGAS, NV - DECEMBER 31: Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department officers close Tropicana Avenue near the Las Vegas Strip on December 31, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. An estimated 330,000 people are celebrating New Year's Eve on the Strip and in downtown Las Vegas. In the wake of October's mass shooting on the Strip, the state more than doubled the normal number of Nevada Army National Guard personnel working on New Year's Eve to 360 to join 1,500 on-duty police officers along with spotters, snipers and federal resources. — Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department officers close Tropicana Avenue near the Las Vegas Strip on December 31, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - MARCH 19: Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department officers take a man into custody on Flamingo Road outside The Cromwell Las Vegas as parts of the Las Vegas Strip go dark as a result of the statewide shutdown due to the coronavirus continuing to spread across the United States on March 19, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. On Tuesday, Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak announced a statewide closure of all nonessential businesses, including all hotel-casinos on the Strip, for at least 30 days to help combat the spread of the virus. The World Health Organization declared the coronavirus (COVID-19) a global pandemic on March 11th. — Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department officers take a man into custody on Flamingo Road outside The Cromwell Las Vegas as parts of the Las Vegas Strip go dark as a result of the statewide shutdown due to the coronavirus continuing to spread across the United States on March 19, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

As of April 2021, there were a total of 114 cases from 2020 that were still open. It is unclear if the findings of those internal investigations will be released and when.

The June 2021 report also said 21 LVMPD were arrested for 29 offenses in 2019. The most common offenses that employees were arrested for include DUI, domestic violence and assault/battery, according to the accountability report.

Residents can still file a report with the department’s Internal Affairs through their website, and reports can be made anonymously.

The department still releases a separate annual report, which lists LVMPD’s successes and statistics on crime solved over the previous year.

The only information related to officer-involved shootings included in the glossy annual report showed there was a 40% percent increase — 14 in 2022 compared to 10 the prior year. However, there are no details of the shootings included.

West Juhl, a spokesperson for the American Civil Liberties Union of Nevada, told the Las Vegas Review-Journal cops can’t being held accountable without the release of important internal investigations.

“Without transparency, how can our community make sure that Metro, or any police agency, is truly serving our needs?” Juhl said.