Mesquite council directs staff to add outside audit of police hiring paperwork to agenda

At the City of Mesquite tech-review meeting on Jan. 21, Councilmember Wes raised concerns about recent hiring paperwork issues in the Mesquite Police Department (MPD) and asked staff to initiate an audit of all sworn officers’ backgrounds, evaluations and certifications.

Wes said the city’s existing practice — periodic, limited audits performed by POST or internally — may not cover the entire department and urged a full audit. "It is imperative this audit is performed," Wes said. He asked staff to either initiate an outside audit immediately or accept an agenda item co-sponsored by Councilman Parrish directing staff to arrange one.

Councilwoman Fielding seconded the request to place the audit on the agenda. The council voted to add the audit item to a future agenda so staff could proceed with research and scheduling.

Council discussion clarified that the audit should include requirements enforced by POST (the Nevada Peace Officer Standards and Training commission) as well as department-specific requirements, and that an outside agency could perform the work if staff chose not to pursue it immediately. The motion directed staff to prepare the requested agenda item; councilmembers Parrish and Wes said they would co-sponsor the agenda item if staff did not act on its own.

Next steps: staff was instructed to research options for an outside audit and to return the item as a council agenda item for formal consideration. The council did not adopt the audit itself at the meeting; it authorized placing the audit item on a future agenda for formal action.