Newly released body-camera footage is putting a brief Las Vegas traffic stop involving Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo under the microscope, after a Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department sergeant pulled him over near the Mandalay Bay resort for a traffic infraction and then let him go without a citation.
What the footage shows
The short video shows a Metro sergeant walking up to a vehicle and explaining why he flipped on the lights in the first place. “The reason I’m stopping you is for the red light violation back there — your right turn onto Giles here,” the officer says. The driver responds, “I’m Joe Lombardo,” and the sergeant answers, “I’m aware,” before telling him he is free to leave, according to KTNV.
Where and when it happened
Local reporting places the stop on May 15 near the Mandalay Bay area of the Las Vegas Strip, with the sergeant ultimately releasing Lombardo without issuing a ticket. Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department officials released the body camera footage, which was obtained by local television outlets. The governor’s campaign later characterized the encounter as a routine traffic stop in which Lombardo “fully complied” and was “promptly on his way,” according to FOX5.
Why it drew attention
The clip has sparked interest in part because Lombardo spent decades in the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and previously served as Clark County sheriff before moving into the governor’s office, a career path detailed on the Office of the Governor’s website. That long history with Metro means any roadside interaction between Lombardo and his former agency is going to catch the eye of local residents and political watchers, according to the Office of the Governor.
Officials and public response
Local outlets reported reaching out to both LVMPD and the governor’s office for comment. In a statement published by FOX5, campaign spokesperson Elizabeth Ray said Lombardo “fully complied with all instructions” during the stop and “remains grateful for the professionalism of the officer involved.”
