Las Vegas City Marshals: Difference between revisions

 

Line 74: Line 74:

=== Lawsuits ===

=== Lawsuits ===

On March 27 2025, Derek Myers brought a [[class-action lawsuit]] against the city marshals for engaging in a “systemic pattern of unconstitutional and unlawful conduct” by conducting arrests outside their legal jurisdiction. Myers alleges that the LVCM is operating as a “rogue law

On March 27 2025, Derek Myers brought a [[class-action lawsuit]] against the city marshals for engaging in a “systemic pattern of unconstitutional and unlawful conduct” by conducting arrests outside their legal jurisdiction. Myers alleges that the LVCM is operating as a “rogue law

enforcement agency”. The lawsuit stems from an incident on January 9 2025 where Myers was pulled over by city marshals for alleged traffic violations. The lawsuit further alleges the marshals conducted an unlawful search of Myers and his vehicle, and performed a faulty DUI test. Myers further claims that he was not [[Miranda warning|Mirandized]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Las Vegas city marshals sued for stepping outside their jurisdiction|url=https://www.courthousenews.com/las-vegas-city-marshals-sued-for-stepping-outside-their-jurisdiction/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250328061426/https://www.courthousenews.com/las-vegas-city-marshals-sued-for-stepping-outside-their-jurisdiction/|access-date=2025-09-01|archive-date=2025-03-28|date=27 March 2025|website=[[Courthouse News Service]]|last=Riquelmy|first=Alan|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=New class action lawsuit accuses Las Vegas city marshals of ‘unlawful arrests’|url=https://www.fox5vegas.com/2025/03/28/new-class-action-lawsuit-accuses-las-vegas-city-marshals-unlawful-arrests/|access-date=2025-09-01|website=[[KVVU-TV|Fox 5 Vegas]]|date=28 March 2025|last=Sheppard|first=Andryanna}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Lawsuit filed against Las Vegas city marshals for alleged ‘abuse of authority’|url=https://www.8newsnow.com/news/lawsuit-filed-against-las-vegas-city-marshals-for-alleged-abuse-of-authority/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250328163058/https://www.8newsnow.com/news/lawsuit-filed-against-las-vegas-city-marshals-for-alleged-abuse-of-authority/|access-date=2025-09-01|archive-date=2025-03-28|date=28 March 2025|website=[[KLAS-TV|KLAS 8 News Now]]|last=Bleakley|first=Caroline|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Las Vegas faces federal lawsuit over alleged marshal overreach|url=https://news3lv.com/news/local/las-vegas-faces-federal-lawsuit-over-alleged-marshal-overreach|access-date=2025-09-01|website=[[KSNV|News 3 Las Vegas]]|date=28 March 2025|last=Cruz|first=Martha}}</ref><ref name=”auto”>{{Cite web |title=Lawsuit alleges City Marshals repeatedly operate outside their jurisdiction|url=https://www.ktnv.com/13-investigates/lawsuit-alleges-las-vegas-city-marshals-repeatedly-operate-outside-their-jurisdiction|access-date=2025-09-01|website=[[KTNV-TV|Channel 13 Las Vegas News KTNV]]|date=27 March 2025|last=Spears|first=Darcy}}</ref>

enforcement agency”. The lawsuit stems from an incident on January 9 2025 where Myers was pulled over by city marshals for alleged traffic violations. The lawsuit further alleges the marshals conducted an unlawful search of Myers and his vehicle, and performed a faulty DUI test. Myers claims that he was not [[Miranda warning|Mirandized]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Las Vegas city marshals sued for stepping outside their jurisdiction|url=https://www.courthousenews.com/las-vegas-city-marshals-sued-for-stepping-outside-their-jurisdiction/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250328061426/https://www.courthousenews.com/las-vegas-city-marshals-sued-for-stepping-outside-their-jurisdiction/|access-date=2025-09-01|archive-date=2025-03-28|date=27 March 2025|website=[[Courthouse News Service]]|last=Riquelmy|first=Alan|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=New class action lawsuit accuses Las Vegas city marshals of ‘unlawful arrests’|url=https://www.fox5vegas.com/2025/03/28/new-class-action-lawsuit-accuses-las-vegas-city-marshals-unlawful-arrests/|access-date=2025-09-01|website=[[KVVU-TV|Fox 5 Vegas]]|date=28 March 2025|last=Sheppard|first=Andryanna}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Lawsuit filed against Las Vegas city marshals for alleged ‘abuse of authority’|url=https://www.8newsnow.com/news/lawsuit-filed-against-las-vegas-city-marshals-for-alleged-abuse-of-authority/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250328163058/https://www.8newsnow.com/news/lawsuit-filed-against-las-vegas-city-marshals-for-alleged-abuse-of-authority/|access-date=2025-09-01|archive-date=2025-03-28|date=28 March 2025|website=[[KLAS-TV|KLAS 8 News Now]]|last=Bleakley|first=Caroline|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Las Vegas faces federal lawsuit over alleged marshal overreach|url=https://news3lv.com/news/local/las-vegas-faces-federal-lawsuit-over-alleged-marshal-overreach|access-date=2025-09-01|website=[[KSNV|News 3 Las Vegas]]|date=28 March 2025|last=Cruz|first=Martha}}</ref><ref name=”auto”>{{Cite web |title=Lawsuit alleges City Marshals repeatedly operate outside their jurisdiction|url=https://www.ktnv.com/13-investigates/lawsuit-alleges-las-vegas-city-marshals-repeatedly-operate-outside-their-jurisdiction|access-date=2025-09-01|website=[[KTNV-TV|Channel 13 Las Vegas News KTNV]]|date=27 March 2025|last=Spears|first=Darcy}}</ref>

According to an investigation by [[KTNV]] conducted in March 2025, the department routinely exceeds its alleged jurisdictional limits. The investigation showed videos of marshals arresting people throughout the city and county. The report depicted marshals stopping and detaining homeless people throughout the city, as well as what it alleges to be physical abuse.<ref name=”auto”/>

According to an investigation by [[KTNV]] conducted in March 2025, the department routinely exceeds its alleged jurisdictional limits. The investigation showed videos of marshals arresting people throughout the city and county. The report depicted marshals stopping and detaining homeless people throughout the city, as well as what it alleges to be physical abuse.<ref name=”auto”/>

Law enforcement agency

Las Vegas City Marshals
Common name	Deputy City Marshals
Abbreviation	LVCM
Operations jurisdiction	Las Vegas, Clark County, Nevada
Legal jurisdiction	Las Vegas
General nature
Headquarters	Las Vegas
Deputy city marshals	53 (as of 2017)[needs update]
Agency executive	Jason Potts, Marshal of the City of Las Vegas
Parent agency	City of Las Vegas Department of Public Safety
Official website

The Las Vegas City Marshals (LVCM) is a security police agency of the city of Las Vegas, Nevada. The LVCM is responsible for providing law enforcement and security services to buildings, parks, trails, and other lands and properties owned, leased, or controlled by the Las Vegas municipal government. The agency is part of the city of Las Vegas Department of Public Safety (LVDPS).^[1]

The LVCM consisted of 53 deputy city marshals as of 2017.^{[2][needs update]}

Sworn LVCM personnel are state-certified law enforcement officers that work for the city of Las Vegas and protect city property, parks, trails, and facilities.^[1] This is done in conjunction with the other law enforcement agencies in Las Vegas and Clark County, namely the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, for whom the LVCM patrols parks.^[2]

The LVDPS also manages the LVDPS Corrections Division (which operates the Las Vegas Detention Center) and the LVDPS Animal Protection Services (the city’s animal control service),^[3] though these are not connected to the LVCM and its duties.

Sworn LVCM personnel are classified as “category I” peace officers by the state of Nevada.^[4]

Deputy City Marshals wear dark blue uniforms, though their police motorcycle units wear bright blue uniform tops. Deputy City Marshals are armed with a pistol alongside other standard police equipment, such as a taser and a baton.^{[citation needed]}

The LVCM formerly used the Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor, but after its discontinuation, they were retired in favor of newer Ford Police Interceptor Sedan and Ford Police Interceptor Utility cruisers. The LVCM also uses a fleet of dirtbikes.^[5]

Critics of the marshals allege that they have overstepped their authority and jurisdiction in a number of lawsuits filed against the agency in 2025. Following a class-action lawsuit brought by several citizens, and another lawsuit by the ACLU alleging that traffic stops conducted on state and federal highways are not within the agency’s jurisdiction, the LVCM website was changed to add the enforcement of street and traffic law to their job description. Previous documents from the department described a more limited jurisdiction, with one document describing “patrolling city-owned property, including parks”.^[6] In previous court filings, the LVDPS director stated that “[LVCM] jurisdiction is limited geographically and in scope.”^[7]

The city of Las Vegas website now states that:^[8]

While the deputy city marshals’ primary role is to enforce laws on city-owned property, deputy city marshals are also authorized to enforce all municipal street and traffic laws as well as state vehicle laws applicable to city roadways. Marshals frequently travel on city streets while responding to calls or patrolling facilities and may witness crimes in progress, requiring immediate action to protect citizens, safeguard property and prevent harm. This authority includes enforcing moving traffic violations within the city.

The city has further contested the jurisdiction and authority arguments in court.^[9] The city has also asserted that LVCM personnel have jurisdiction outside city property^[10] and that they had the authority to conduct traffic stops and make arrests outside of their standard jurisdiction.^[11] A spokesperson for the city has further opined that Nevada “category I peace officers” — such as sworn LVCM personnel — are not limited by geographical jurisdiction.^[12]

On March 27 2025, Derek Myers brought a class-action lawsuit against the city marshals for engaging in a “systemic pattern of unconstitutional and unlawful conduct” by conducting arrests outside their legal jurisdiction. Myers alleges that the LVCM is operating as a “rogue law
enforcement agency”. The lawsuit stems from an incident on January 9 2025 where Myers was pulled over by city marshals for alleged traffic violations. The lawsuit further alleges the marshals conducted an unlawful search of Myers and his vehicle, and performed a faulty DUI test. Myers additionally claims that he was not Mirandized.^{[13][14][15][16][17]}

According to an investigation by KTNV conducted in March 2025, the department routinely exceeds its alleged jurisdictional limits. The investigation showed videos of marshals arresting people throughout the city and county. The report depicted marshals stopping and detaining homeless people throughout the city, as well as what it alleges to be physical abuse.^[17]

On April 25, 2025, the ACLU filed a separate lawsuit against the City of Las Vegas on behalf of a man who alleges he was subject to unlawful detainment and physical assault.^[18][19] The lawsuit claims that the man’s civil and constitutional rights were violated during a traffic stop in April 2023.^[18][20] The city of Las Vegas did not provide public comment on the lawsuit and reported it “takes all allegations of civil rights violations seriously” and would respond in court.^[20]

A third lawsuit filed by three people alleged that Las Vegas resident Tim McCoy was subject to excessive force and wrongful arrest in an incident from 11 November 2023.^[21][22] An investigation by KTNV-TV revealed that one officer involved in the incident resigned from the LVCM and was later hired by the North Las Vegas Police Department.^[21]