WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) – The Republication Attorneys General Association (RAGA) has called out the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department over allegations that a Democratic Attorney General candidate, Aaron Ford, was favored during a police-involved incident because of his status and position, according to RAGA.
“This is very simple; the public deserves to know what Aaron Ford said that day,” RAGA’s Communications Director Zack Roday told Legal Newsline.
“For any elected official to use their position of authority to try to influence a law enforcement outcome is unacceptable. Aaron Ford would be no different, so we look forward to obtaining these public records and getting the truth.”
RAGA filed a lawsuit against the police department in the District Court of Clark County Nevada. It expressed concerns the police department allegedly allowed Ford to use his influence for a more-favorable outcome. It has requested body cam footage to observe what took place in the incident between a Metro police officer and Ford on Nov. 17.
RAGA filed four public records requests for the footage, all which have been denied.
The legal controversy comes after Ford showed his support for a bill that would call for Nevada Highway Patrol officers to wear body cameras. While that bill was sponsored back in 2015, Ford showed more-recent support for a similar bill in 2017 that would require not only patrol officers but all members of law enforcement to wear body cameras.
In the Sept. 6 petition, RAGA detailed how it requested body camera footage for all incidents involving Ford within a timeframe that includes the date in question.
“Police and arrest reports are public records. And, Metro has not established otherwise,” RAGA pointed out in its latest petition. It requested the court to order Metro police to provide the records as well as cover attorneys fees.