Las Vegas NAACP criticizes Gov. Lombardo over remark that he marginalized communities during his law enforcement career

What happened

The Las Vegas branch of the NAACP on Wednesday criticized Gov. Joe Lombardo over recorded remarks in which he said his law enforcement career led him to marginalize other communities, the Las Vegas Sun reported. In a news release, the group called the comments "deeply troubling, but hardly surprising."

The release came six days before the Nov. 3 election. Lombardo, a Republican, is seeking a second term against Democratic Attorney General Aaron Ford in the governor's race.

What Lombardo said on the recording

Where the audio came from

TheGrio, a news website focused on Black audiences, obtained the audio and posted it with a story Wednesday. According to TheGrio, Lombardo spoke July 2 at a closed-door meeting with military veterans, where he was asked how his leadership philosophy had changed since he left Metro Police.

The remarks

In the recording, Lombardo said that when people get "two feet into" whatever they do in life, they tend to marginalize other communities, according to the Sun. He said most of his career had been in law enforcement and added, "I marginalized other communities as a result of that mindset." He also said officers "think the majority of society is bad" because those are the people they deal with every day.

How the NAACP, Ford and Lombardo's campaign responded

The NAACP

The NAACP said that mentality "fueled generations of racial profiling, excessive force, and mistrust" between police and the communities they serve. It said it is concerned about what happens when the "same worldview" moves from the sheriff's office to the governor's office. The group described itself as nonpartisan and said it expects officials of any party to govern fairly and respect civil rights.

Aaron Ford

Ford told TheGrio that Lombardo's "disdain for the people who elected him to serve is disqualifying." He said nondeadly use of force against Black people went up under Lombardo and said that as governor he would work to "rebuild trust in every neighborhood." If elected, Ford would be Nevada's first Black governor, the Sun noted.

Lombardo's campaign

Lombardo's campaign told TheGrio that the suggestion he would intentionally marginalize any community is "a gross misrepresentation of his record and leadership." The campaign said his point was about recognizing a limited perspective, listening to others and understanding issues beyond law enforcement. It also said he "prioritized and expanded community-based policing" as sheriff.

What Metro's use-of-force data shows

The Sun cited a department report covering 2017 through 2021, while Lombardo was sheriff. It shows Black people were the subjects in 43% of police-related nondeadly use-of-force incidents in 2021, up from 40% in 2020, with the share averaging 40% over the five years. The report cites 2019 Census Bureau estimates putting Clark County's population at 11% Black.

The same report shows nondeadly force incidents rose 22%, from 774 in 2017 to 941 in 2021, while staffing for police and corrections officers rose 16%. The NAACP said those disparities "demand accountability."

Lombardo's record in office

Lombardo joined Metro Police in 1988, was elected Clark County sheriff in 2014 and won reelection in 2018. In a 2016 guest column in the Sun, he wrote that Metro was "recognized as a model agency on use-of-force practices." He was elected governor in 2022, defeating then-Gov. Steve Sisolak, a Democrat, and took office Jan. 2, 2023.

Where the race stands in the polls

The polling aggregator Pollsmax put Lombardo ahead of Ford 45.6% to 43.6% in an average of 16 polls, according to the Sun. An Oct. 25 Hart Research poll, which Pollsmax lists as a Democratic poll, showed Ford ahead 49% to 45% among 950 likely voters.

A RedBox Research poll conducted Oct. 20-23 showed Ford ahead 46% to 43% among 1,407 likely voters. A Global Strategy Group poll, also listed as Democratic, showed Lombardo ahead 48% to 47% when it was conducted Oct. 8-13. For more on how the parties are campaigning, see our look at how Nevada GOP ads are handling Trump and our full elections coverage.

What to watch next

• The Nov. 3 election, in which Lombardo is seeking a second term against Democratic Attorney General Aaron Ford.
• Whether Ford wins; the Sun reported he would be Nevada's first Black governor if elected.
• Final results compared with polling, including the Pollsmax average that put Lombardo ahead of Ford 45.6% to 43.6%.