POLICE ENDORSEMENTS MAKES ONE WONDER: WHO'S ON FIRST?

Can You Trust The Cops?

Kindergartners are taught that lesson early: Trust your local police
officer. High school kids are reminded often to respect the police,
whose judgment in enforcing the law is crucial in our society.

Traditionally, politicians have known that garnering a police
endorsement is sure to translate into winning the confidence of
prospective voters come election time. Voters don't trust politicians,
but they generally do trust the police.

Then came Campaign '02 and a string of on-again, off-again cop
endorsements that is turning a long-respected political prize into a
"Police Academy" laugh track.

Can you, for instance, still trust the judgment of the Nevada
Conference of Police and Sheriffs after its former president, Andy
Anderson, announced an NCOPS endorsement of the state's controversial
Question 9 marijuana decriminalization initiative before an executive
board vote had taken place?

Frankly, no.

Anderson resigned Friday under pressure from some thoroughly
embarrassed police union officials, who represent more than 3,000
officers throughout the state. Although Anderson logically argued that
small-time pot busts waste time, the issue went up in smoke and took
with it, at least temporarily, the credibility of the NCOPS
endorsement.

"This is the screwiest year I've ever seen," says one NCOPS board
member.

It's not the only snafu to come from the police organization. Earlier
this year, says one NCOPS source, the endorsement process was so
mangled that the group endorsed candidates in districts they no longer
represented.

After rushing to endorse congressional candidate Dario Herrera, NCOPS
voted to withdraw its endorsement after questions were raised about
the candidate's personal finances and $42,000 Las Vegas Housing
Authority public relations deal. Herrera wrote off the change of heart
to opponent Jon Porter's "vicious, negative and deeply personal attacks."

But the greater question is, did NCOPS do any homework before
endorsing Herrera? And did its members investigate the allegations
against him?

At a time they should have been alert, they were asleep at the
switch.

And in the attorney general's race, NCOPS quickly endorsed Brian
Sandoval, then watched as the State Peace Officers Council endorsed
last-minute challenger John Hunt. The council, of course, is an NCOPS
member.

So much for consistency.

Other police groups have looked fickle and easily pressured.

A recent revision by the Police Managers and Supervisors Association
of the District 1 congressional endorsement has incumbent Rep. Shelley
Berkley and her challenger, City Councilwoman Lynette Boggs McDonald,
complaining for very different reasons. Berkley, because her
once-exclusive endorsement was revised under questionable political
circumstances. Boggs McDonald, because her share of the endorsement
has been tainted by controversial language contained in a letter from
PMSA Chairman Thomas Plehn.

The Police Protective Association, meanwhile, made its Clark County
sheriff's endorsement -- easily its most important -- in December in
an effort to boost the candidacy of respected but little known Deputy
Chief Bill Young.

That endorsement has helped with Young's fund-raising efforts, but it
hasn't prevented Capt. Randy Oaks from polling extremely well in
recent surveys. Those polls show Oaks in a statistical dead heat with
Young, despite a vast fund-raising disadvantage.

The PPA will look particularly out of touch should Oaks pull off an
upset. Its officials also will look like they were listening more
closely to political merchants than to rank-and-file members.

So what in the world happened to that well-oiled police union
political machine?

After all the political games are played, that is supposed to be the
bottom line: Endorse the candidate who first will do the best job for
union members as well as the community at large.

It shouldn't be too much to ask.

In an attempt to offset the marijuana "endorsement" damage, NCOPS has
scheduled a news conference for today to restate its zero tolerance
for Question 9.

Can you still count on the cops to provide well-reasoned political
endorsements?

For now, the answer is no.