After a series of questionable police shootings and a subsequent federal intervention, Las Vegas Metro Police became a role model for law enforcement agencies struggling with accusations of racial bias, reports the Las Vegas Sun. The rigorous investigation by the U.S. Justice Department led the local agency to transform the way it interacts with the public, and law enforcement experts now praise the department for its overhaul. “There are some things the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department does really well that other agencies should consider doing,” said George Fachner, a researcher at Virginia-based CNA Analysis & Solutions who helped the Justice Department do its analysis.
Las Vegas has adopted at least 72 of the 79 recommendations made by the Justice Department. The Sun takes a look at four of them: bias classes for officers, body cameras, critical investigation procedures, and increased training. Among many reforms, the department formalized a peer review of its use-of-force investigation reports and worked with community leaders Metro formalized a peer review of its use-of-force investigation reports and worked with community leaders and stakeholders to establish expectations and protocol for releasing information about officer-involved shootings. Officials now conduct news conferences every time an officer fires a gun on the job, and video of every news conference is posted online.