Las Vegas police unhappy with arrest video

Disappointed. Frustrated. Angry.

When a video surfaced last week showing a Las Vegas police officer roughing up a man with a camera, many cops in the department were as de­moralized by the incident as the public was incensed.

"The majority of us think (officer Derek) Colling made a mistake," said one patrol officer with less than five years on the force. "All the officers I talked to understand that citizens will see this video, and yeah, we know it looks bad."

In interviews with several frontline officers, police expressed frustration over the video, which went viral on the Internet and spread like wildfire through the department.

The video was shown in several briefings, where supervisors refreshed officers on how to deal with people filming them.

The officers agreed to speak only on the condition of anonymity because of an ongoing internal investigation of Colling, who has been suspended with pay since April 1.

Metropolitan Police Department officials, citing that investigation, have not commented on the incident. Chris Collins, executive director of the Las Vegas Police Protective Association that represents the agency's rank-and-file officers, also declined comment.

OFFICERS TOLD TO REMEMBER TRAINING

The first officer, "Officer A," said the video was shown to officers in his squad and his supervisor told them to remember their police academy training. The officer said they were trained that Las Vegas is one of the most surveilled cities in the world, and officers should act as if they were always on camera.

"We know the public can video us whenever they want, and it's their right to do so. It should never be a problem."

On the night of March 20, Mitchell Crooks, 36, was in his driveway near Desert Inn Road and Maryland Parkway videotaping police as they investigated a burglary report across the street.

As Colling left the scene in his patrol car, he stopped and told Crooks to stop filming. When Crooks refused to stop, Colling took him down and, Crooks said, beat him, with much of the altercation caught on camera. Colling arrested Crooks on charges of battery on an officer and obstruction of justice, but the district attorney's office dismissed the case 10 days later.

Officer Laurie Bisch, a two-time candidate for Clark County sheriff, said it's unfortunate how much the actions of one officer affect perception of the entire agency and policing in general.

The Erik Scott shooting at Costco last year, and even the 1991 Rodney King beating in Los Angeles, harmed police credibility locally and strained public relations, she said.

"I still hear people say, 'Are you going to beat me like you beat Rodney King?' I've never worked for the LAPD or even in California," Bisch said.

"Officer B," a patrol officer with less than two years of experience, agreed.

He said his squad was briefed about the incident, but the video was not shown. He read news reports about what happened but hasn't watched the video because he is frustrated over the negativity surrounding it.

"I'm not even interested in trying to find out the details of the call he (Colling) was on," Officer B said. "But it seems like his emotions were high and he made a bad decision."

POLICE MISTAKES

Although the public doesn't like it when police make mistakes, they happen, he said. In the last year, Officer B said he made several decisions he regretted.

"I've never hurt somebody, but, yes, I've made bad decisions in the heat of the moment where emotions are high."

Police make bad hires like any organization, he said, but most officers truly care about the people they've sworn to protect.

"The guys I work with are good people with good hearts," he said. "Yes, they're wired a little different, but thank goodness they are to do this job."

Officer B never worked with Colling, but he said word around the department was he was a good officer who you would want in a tough situation.

"Officer C," a veteran patrol super­visor who has worked with Colling, said he was frustrated that the public cared more about the incident with Colling than stories where criminals fired shots at cops.

On Wednesday, cops dodged gunfire during a high-speed pursuit that ended with the arrest of two robbery suspects. And on April 19, an officer shot and killed a convicted murderer who fired at police.

"A guy gets out of jail for murder and starts shooting at police, and we're competing with this guy (Crooks) for space above the fold and on the 10 p.m. news," he said.

Officer C said the department is thoroughly vetting the incident and whatever punishment Colling receives will be fair.

But most officers aren't showing any empathy for Crooks.

OFFICER BAITED?

Officer C said Crooks baited Colling by lying to him about not living at the home and then put on a performance for the camera, he said. Crooks also clearly lied when he initially said the cop punched and kicked him more than 50 times, Officer C said.

Crooks' lawyer has demanded $500,000 from police, and Crooks has tried to sell the video to news outlets.

"He's clearly out for money," he said.

Officer A agreed, noting that Crooks had a few bumps and bruises, but no proof of extensive injuries.

"He's looking for ammunition for his civil suit," he said.

Crooks tried to sell the video to the Review-Journal and other news media but said he had received no money.

Crooks said he thought he could sell the video as he did in 2002, when he filmed a police beating in Southern California that made headlines. In that case, Crooks captured the incident from afar.

"I didn't understand the difference in the situations," Crooks said.

Officer A said Colling's altercation with Crooks was unfairly linked to his two previous police shootings, one of which involved the killing of mentally ill 15-year-old Tanner Chamberlain.

The teen was holding a knife in front of his mother and waving it in the direction of officers when Colling shot him in the head.

"There was a big outcry because they see a 15-year-old who needed help," the officer said. "But if that kid would have sliced his mom's neck and killed her, we're still in the wrong. So what do you do?"

Officer A said he hoped the public would understand that officers aren't at war with citizens. If cops screw up, they know they must answer for it.

"I just hope this one is a learning experience for every officer and it doesn't happen again," he said.

Contact reporter Mike Blasky at mblasky@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0283.