Episode 19: Filmmaker Ramsey Denison - Corruption and Cover Up in the Las Vegas Police Department

Speak Out with Tim Wise

This week on Speak Out With Tim Wise, Tim speaks with filmmaker Ramsey Denison, whose award-winning documentary, "What Happened In Vegas" exposes the corrupt and brutal workings of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. While most Americans only came to think about law enforcement in Vegas in the wake of last October’s mass shooting, Denison explains that the LVMPD has a pattern of deeply rooted abuse and misconduct, little of which has ever resulted in officers being held accountable. Focusing specifically on four recent cases in which Las Vegas police killed innocent and unthreatening civilians, Denison shines a light on this culture of corruption, and the way in which the casinos and press in Las Vegas do their part to keep a lid on stories of wrongdoing. With regard to the October mass shooting by Stephen Paddock on the Vegas strip, Denison notes that the casino called a "back line” to the police, rather than 911 when the shooting began — something they do when high rollers are involved — and that this likely delayed the police response to the tragedy. Tim and Ramsey discuss the film and the stories it tells, and what needs to be done to restore confidence and integrity to the Las Vegas police department. This episode also includes Tim’s weekly commentary, discussing the recent government shutdown and the capitulation by Democratic Party leadership to the GOP’s weaponization of DACA and the Dreamers