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LAWRENCE MOWER
Las Vegas Review-Journal





Recent shootouts in which Las Vegas police officers faced suspects carrying more powerful weapons have prompted an anonymous individual to donate $100,000 to equip officers with assault rifles.

After the Feb. 1 death of Las Vegas police Sgt. Henry Prendes, several members of the community promised to donate money to equip police officers with more powerful weapons, officials said.

The $100,000 donation, which the donor intends be used to equip squad cars with assault rifles, was the first received by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Foundation, said Paul Page, treasurer of the nonprofit organization, which is separate from the Police Department.

Prendes was shot and killed while responding to a domestic violence call when Amir Crump opened fire with a semiautomatic assault rifle modeled after the AK-47. He killed Prendes, then held police at bay as he peppered the cars shielding them with dozens of rounds. It wasn't until an officer with the gang crimes unit arrived with an assault rifle that police turned the tide of the gunbattle and killed Crump.

The incident prompted Sheriff Bill Young to evaluate the department's policies regarding the availability of assault rifles for patrol officers.

Currently, officers may carry assault rifles in their patrol cars if they purchase the weapons with their own money and undergo training in their use, Undersheriff Doug Gillespie said.

Department officials now must decide what weapons to buy using the donated funds, Gillespie said.

Officials said they should reach a decision within two weeks, and the weapons will only be made available to officers who want them.

Gillespie said the $100,000 contribution was made by a "very generous" individual who wished to remain anonymous. Only Gillespie, Young and the foundation's board of directors know who the donor is, he said.

But Craig Walton, president of the Nevada Center for Public Ethics, said such offers - in which the police department knows who the donor is - could create ethical conundrums if the donor ever becomes the subject of a police investigation.

"It's a very nice thing," he said. "These people read the newspaper and were concerned about Sergeant Prendes. So someone decided to step in and solve the problem" of police being outgunned.

But, Walton said, "you don't want to set up the risk" of a potential conflict.

Walton said a double-blind transaction, in which someone donates to a third party who then passes the money to the police department, would be a better way of transferring the funds.

Page said the donation would have no bearing on future investigative decisions.

"I've never been contacted by anyone in the Police Department asking, 'Who made this donation?' " Page said.

The police foundation screens donations, Page said. He said he has had discussions with the foundation's board about rejecting some offers. The foundation hasn't turned away any money yet, he said.

"We wouldn't take anybody's money if they were just dangling it in front of our faces," he said.

Gillespie said the process has "a fair amount of checks and balances" to ensure that a donation made by an unethical or criminal individual is not accepted.

Walton said the intentions of the donor and the police are good and that the potential for future conflicts of interest is very small.

Page said the donation was unusual only because of its size. Donors frequently request to be anonymous and choose to donate to a certain department or cause, such as the K-9 unit.

Those interested in donating to Las Vegas police can do so at www.lvmpdfoundation.org.

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