Reno Police Operating While Chief On Leave

Reno’s police department has been running under outside interim leadership since March 9, when Chief Kathryn Nance and five other members were put on administrative leave. (reno.gov) City Manager Jackie Bryant said the leave followed allegations of potential city policy violations, and the city asked the Nevada Department of Public Safety to handle an independent administrative investigation. Mayor Hillary Schieve said the move was meant to protect public trust while the review proceeds. (reno.gov) (mynews4.com) To keep command in place, Reno activated an interlocal agreement with the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office and installed Washoe Undersheriff Corey Solferino as acting chief. Bryant said the city kept executive oversight while the department continued operating under existing policies and procedures. (reno.gov) (mynews4.com) More than a month later, the investigation was still open, and Bryant told the Reno Gazette Journal the public might never get a full explanation if legal limits block disclosure. The paper also reported that the inquiry involves Nance and five unidentified officers believed to be among the department’s top leadership. (rgj.com) That has left Reno with a police department answering 911 calls and handling routine work while key decisions at the top are being made by a temporary command structure. Solferino told the Reno Gazette Journal on April 17 that the transition was going well and said rumors that he was drawing two salaries were false. (rgj.com) The city’s public line has been continuity, not overhaul. On March 9, officials said police services would continue without interruption, and Solferino later said the goal was to keep the department doing the work it was already doing when residents call for help. (reno.gov) (msn.com) The pressure point is transparency. Schieve said on March 9 that the city wanted to act “thoughtfully and transparently,” but officials have not publicly described the underlying allegations or named the five other employees on leave. (reno.gov) (mynews4.com) That gap comes after the department had been publicly promising more direct contact with residents. Reno had promoted police community town halls this year as forums for “transparent communication,” including crime updates, public safety concerns and question-and-answer sessions with residents. (reno.gov 1) (reno.gov 2) For now, the practical setup is clear even if the allegations are not: the chief remains on leave, the state investigation remains active, and Reno’s police department is being steered day to day by an acting chief from the sheriff’s office. (reno.gov) (rgj.com)