OFF THE WIRE
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The Boulder City council voted to initiate an outside probe by the Nevada Bureau
of Investigation Tuesday, Nov. 27, regarding the actions of Police Chief Thomas
Finn. Nearly 100 members of a motorcycle club coalition attended the hearing.
Chief Thomas Finn alleged to have illegally deleted internal emails
regarding 'zero tolerance' policies toward motorcycle clubs
The Boulder City council voted unanimously Tuesday Nov. 27 to request a probe
by the Nevada Bureau of Investigation into the actions of Police Chief Thomas
Finn.
Finn is being accused by Steven Stubbs, attorney for the Mongols motorcycle
club, of illegally deleting internal emails relating to an attempted "zero
tolerance" policy directed at club members during a four day Mongol gathering in
Boulder City in June.
Finn circulated an email regarding intended legal policy received by City
Attorney Dave Olsen and Judge Victor Miller, among other officials.
"As part of our zero tolerance approach," wrote Finn,"all the law enforcement
agencies have asked if our court and prosecutor would consider 'no deals' when
the misdemeanors are adjudicated.
"Doing so would make it clear to the 'Mongol Miscreants' that Boulder City
does not tolerate bad behavior."
In 2002, three people were killed during the Laughlin River Run as a result
of rocker clashes between the members of the Mongols and Hell's Angels. The
Mongols and Vagos clubs are listed as Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs, defined as groups
that use club organization as "conduits for criminal enterprises" by the
California Attorney General.
Prior to the event, Finn emailed police staff and city officials asking for
earlier emails on policy directed at the clubs to be deleted.
"If (Mongol representatives) submit a records request for them (early emails)
it would obviously show our hand and divulge the strategies and staffing levels
we need to keep confidential. Therefore, please delete any and all emails
related to the event immediately."
The emails were released by Stubbs, who filed a civil rights violation suit
against the Boulder City, North Las Vegas and Metro Police departments on behalf
of the Mongols in June.
Olsen told Mayor Roger Tobler and council members his staff conducted a
limited inquiry into the matter and believes Finn did not destroy any emails but
likely attempted to do so. Olsen said the attempt might constitute a class C or
D felony.
"My concern is that we don't treat city department heads or anybody else in
the city any differently than other people in the community," said Olsen.
"If the law was broken we need to be aware of that," said councilman Cam
Walker. "And number two, were emails deleted? With that information we would be
able to make determinations and decisions.
"I want to be clear, they are going to be going in and answering these
questions, not going in an investigating the police department."
Council chamber was packed to standing capacity by members of a biker
collation that comprised multiple clubs including the Mongols, Vagos (Green
Nation) and Banditos. The group of nearly 100 motorcyclists pulled out of
Railroad Pass Casino parking lot at 6:30 p.m. and caravanned down Interstate 93
to city hall to attend the meeting.
"The Chief of Police is supposed to be held to a higher standard," said
Steven Sanson, president of Veterans in Politics, a non-partisan political
advocacy group for veterans' issues.
"He took an oath to protect and to serve everybody. The chief already
admitted he sent out emails to delete all those emails. He admitted that." No
motorcycle club members spoke during public comment, but the mass presence
indicates the amount of investment the groups now have in pressing for legal
actions against the chief.
Finn joined the Boulder City Police department as chief in 2006. His prior
experience included 25 years as a police officer and administrator in East
Brunswick, New Jersey. Former Governor Jim Gibbons appointed Finn to the
commission on the Nevada Peace Officers' Standards & Training Commission in
2007.
Finn, who has filed lawsuits against Stubbs, Olsen and others for defamation
of character, did not attend Tuesday's city council meeting.
