This exact thing happened to me the last time I drove through Kansas. Its infuriateing and absolutely nothing you can do about it. Its a credit to the honest officers who stood up to be heard. Wish there were more like them
A Reno lawyer has filed a lawsuit against current Department of Public
Safety Director Chris Perry that alleges he ruined the state's police dog
program by training canines to be "trick ponies" and falsely detect the
presence of drugs on cues from handlers.
Lawyer Ken McKenna said Tuesday he filed the lawsuit in federal court in
Reno. Perry, who oversees state law enforcement agencies, was formerly the
chief of the Nevada Highway Patrol.
<span style="color: #CC0000"> McKenna said he represents three "honest" police officers who want the
canine program cleaned up and Perry immediately fired.</span> By cueing dogs to
falsely detect drugs, McKenna said Highway Patrol troopers could conduct
illegal searches of vehicles.
"Perry destroyed the program," McKenna said. "He intentionally committed
crimes, whether out of jealousy, a power trip or other reasons. The dogs
now cannot even detect drugs."
Perry did not respond to a call and an email requesting comment . The
governor's office declined comment and referred the matter to the attorney
general's office. Representatives for the attorney general refused
comment. Gov. Brian Sandoval hires and fires agency directors. The
attorney general's office serves as legal adviser to Perry's department.
Perry, a former Las Vegan who graduated from the University of Nevada, Las
Vegas, has more than 30 years of law enforcement experience. He became the
head of the Highway Patrol in 2006 after the previous chief was fired in
the wake of sexual harassment complaints.
When he was appointed as Highway Patrol chief, Perry promised a higher
ethical standard for troopers.
<span style="color: #CC0000">Bringing the lawsuit are current Highway Patrol officers Matt Moonin and
Donn Yarnall and former Los Angeles police officer Erik Lee, who ran the
state dog training program for two years before Perry replaced him. </span>
The lawsuit also accuses Perry and other top Highway Patrol officers of
violating the federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act.
According to the lawsuit, former Public Safety Director Jerry Hafen sought
to replace the existing K-9 program with one that would rank among the
best in the country. He asked Perry, then head of the Highway Patrol, to
create the new program. But Hafen was not satisfied with his work and
assigned another officer to finish the program.
Perry, according to the lawsuit, told other officers he hated Hafen and
was going to have to fix everything Hafen had messed up. After Hafen
retired, Perry became public safety director and replaced Lee with a new
dog trainer willing to train dogs to become "trick ponies," according to
the lawsuit.
McKenna said Moonin and Yarnell filed complaints with supervisors over
illegal searches and the deficiencies in the new dog training program but
were ignored. Yarnell and Moonin were removed as canine officers but
remain with the Highway Patrol.
Contact reporter Ed Vogel at [email protected] or 775-687-3901.
A Reno lawyer has filed a lawsuit against current Department of Public
Safety Director Chris Perry that alleges he ruined the state's police dog
program by training canines to be "trick ponies" and falsely detect the
presence of drugs on cues from handlers.
Lawyer Ken McKenna said Tuesday he filed the lawsuit in federal court in
Reno. Perry, who oversees state law enforcement agencies, was formerly the
chief of the Nevada Highway Patrol.
<span style="color: #CC0000"> McKenna said he represents three "honest" police officers who want the
canine program cleaned up and Perry immediately fired.</span> By cueing dogs to
falsely detect drugs, McKenna said Highway Patrol troopers could conduct
illegal searches of vehicles.
"Perry destroyed the program," McKenna said. "He intentionally committed
crimes, whether out of jealousy, a power trip or other reasons. The dogs
now cannot even detect drugs."
Perry did not respond to a call and an email requesting comment . The
governor's office declined comment and referred the matter to the attorney
general's office. Representatives for the attorney general refused
comment. Gov. Brian Sandoval hires and fires agency directors. The
attorney general's office serves as legal adviser to Perry's department.
Perry, a former Las Vegan who graduated from the University of Nevada, Las
Vegas, has more than 30 years of law enforcement experience. He became the
head of the Highway Patrol in 2006 after the previous chief was fired in
the wake of sexual harassment complaints.
When he was appointed as Highway Patrol chief, Perry promised a higher
ethical standard for troopers.
<span style="color: #CC0000">Bringing the lawsuit are current Highway Patrol officers Matt Moonin and
Donn Yarnall and former Los Angeles police officer Erik Lee, who ran the
state dog training program for two years before Perry replaced him. </span>
The lawsuit also accuses Perry and other top Highway Patrol officers of
violating the federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act.
According to the lawsuit, former Public Safety Director Jerry Hafen sought
to replace the existing K-9 program with one that would rank among the
best in the country. He asked Perry, then head of the Highway Patrol, to
create the new program. But Hafen was not satisfied with his work and
assigned another officer to finish the program.
Perry, according to the lawsuit, told other officers he hated Hafen and
was going to have to fix everything Hafen had messed up. After Hafen
retired, Perry became public safety director and replaced Lee with a new
dog trainer willing to train dogs to become "trick ponies," according to
the lawsuit.
McKenna said Moonin and Yarnell filed complaints with supervisors over
illegal searches and the deficiencies in the new dog training program but
were ignored. Yarnell and Moonin were removed as canine officers but
remain with the Highway Patrol.
Contact reporter Ed Vogel at [email protected] or 775-687-3901.