According to the Nevada Police Union (NPU), its members have “overwhelmingly” expressed doubts about the Democrat Governor. Steve Sisolak is running against Republican Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo.
According to the NPU, the largest police union in the Silver State, a vote was held with its members between Oct. 14-17. The union announced that 95.3 percent (451-22) declared ‘No Confidence in Governor Sisolak.” The announcement by the police union comes days after Sisolak was rejected by a leading teachers union, and weeks before a highly competitive, close gubernatorial race.
President of NPU Dan Gordon said:
With billions of federal funds flowing into the state, the state is now collecting $1 billion more in revenue than it had projected. State police continue to be ignored, and our vacancy rates and turnover rates have been overlooked yet again. Our members have made it clear that they don’t believe that public safety is a priority for Governor Sisolak. This is why they have repeatedly voted against Sisolak’s promise to address these important issues.
NPU stated that it has “continuously raised the alarm on the pay inequity, poor working conditions, which has caused a record-high turnover rate and vacant state police positions, which leaves Nevadans more unsafe” and criticised Sisolak for not using funding under the American Rescue Plan Act.
“While many states have used the funds to support their police forces, the governor’s offices claimed that using these funds in such a way was not appropriate or a prioritization,” the NPU stated. It also said that it had spoken with Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), and sent her a memo asking Sisolak about the “appropriate” use of funds for public safety.
The statement continued, “Similarly, U.S. president Biden called on states to use federal funds to invest in public safety law enforcement,” “Even still, Governor Sisolak took no action. After Governor Sisolak had dismissed the senator’s memo, it was the final straw. This led to a motion for a vote in no confidence.
Sisolak was also accused by the NPU of overseeing the rise in Public Employees’ Retirement System and health care costs, as well as reduced uniform allowances and mandatory furlough days.
According to the NPU, “These increases exacerbated an inequity in state police pay of 25-50% below their counterparts at local level.”
Sisolak didn’t appear to address NPU’s harsh review of social media. However, the Lombardo campaign commented on the news and called the union’s lack confidence in Sisolak “unprecedented.”
“Over the last week, Steve Sisolak received a no confidence’ vote from two important unions in the state: the Clark County Education Association (CEC) and the Nevada Police Union (NPU). “This lack of confidence and support for a sitting governor in Nevada is unprecedented and speaks to Sisolak’s failure to lead at every level,” Elizabeth Ray, spokesperson for Lombardo campaign, said in a statement.
