Join Metro + Get in Trouble = 5 Months Paid Vacation

Here’s a deal you can’t refuse.  Get five months of paid leave for the cost of one week’s wages.  Where was I when this deal was offered?

Two LVMPD officers were recently disciplined for a unauthorized jaunt, out of their jurisdiction, while checked out at Family court to cover the escapade.  (read this)

On Jan 19, 2011,Officers Brad Gallup and Jake Grunwald were stopped by Arizona law enforcement in a marked LVMPD patrol car traveling 20 mph over the speed limit.  The AZ officer thought that since it was out of place to see a LVMPD car in that neck of the woods, he had his dispatcher check with LVMPD dispatch to see if they were missing a patrol car.  Dispatch checked the vehicle number and noted that it was checked out at court and called the officers assigned to the vehicle.  After one officer finally answered his phone, they did acknowledge that they were in court and would walk out to check on the car.  No other voice transmissions were noted and approximately 90 minutes later, the officers and their vehicle were secured at the “Enterprise” substation.

Dolan Springs is approximately 100 miles away to the substation.

The LVMPD officers noticed the AZ officer following and pulled over voluntarily, giving a story about trying to find a spot for a photo shoot.

Both officers were placed on PAID leave after the incident pending resolution of the investigation.  The end result was each officer would give up a week’s pay for their joyride in the department’s vehicle, at taxpayer’s expense.

Let’s see.  200 miles  at $3.50 a gallon of gas, roundtrip at 20 mph over the speed limit is not conducive to good gas mileage in an overburdened Crown Vic. They lied about their whereabouts.  Approximately five months of paid administrative leave  (for each officer).  Investigative time for the department Internal Affairs Bureau (how the heck did this take five months to resolve?). And they pay for all of that with a 40 hours suspension?  (here's a bit more)

Shouldn’t the investigators be looked at for taking that much time for completing, what seems to be a very simple investigation?

Assistant Sheriff  Ray Flynn stated (just in case you wanted more) that he didn’t know where the officers were heading.  Doesn’t that make the investigation incomplete?

I remember the days when your sergeant told you to take an older vehicle and to drive it all shift long to put more miles on it so it could be retired quicker, but that practice stopped years ago, due to Las Vegas growing and putting a strain on police resources.  But your sergeant knew what you were doing all shift…how about officers Grunwald and Gallup’s supervisor?   Who incidentally, was a  Internal Affairs sergeant before being transferred back to patrol duties…Really?