LOMBARDO: METRO MADE DECISION NOT TO TEST 6,000 RAPE KITS TO SAVE $$

June 22, 2017

Nevada Attorney General Adam Laxalt and his assistant AG Wes Duncan successfully raised over $6 million dollars in grants and fines to fund testing some 6,000 rape kits that have been languishing on the shelves of Metro Police storage for years. But according to sources, the majority of the rape kits that were not tested over the last 6 years, some 4,000, were under Lombardo’s watch in leadership. Even though the Department has the most advanced Criminal Science Lab in the state, testing that many kits required outsourcing to private labs at a cost of $1,200 on average according to Lombardo.

During this time, Lombardo was the under Sheriff. And during this time Metro Police had reserves in the bank averaging over $100 million. Clark County Sheriff Lombardo when asked why the department did not test 6,000 rape kits in their possession, he answered “money”. But not once over the last 6 years, did Lombardo request more money from the County or State to fund the rape kit backlog.

As a result of Lombardo’s rape kit backlog, Nevada State Attorney General Adam Laxalt took the lead pushing Assembly Bill 97, which passed both houses unanimously, requiring rape kits to be tested by law enforcement within 120 days. The bill passed this month will now provide $3 million in funds to Metro to test the rape kits.

Rob Lauer

Political Reporter

360Daily.net