Feds release review of Las Vegas police

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LAS VEGAS, Nov. 15 (UPI) -- Federal investigators Thursday unveiled a host of recommended changes to the use-of-force practices of the Las Vegas Police Department.

The U.S. Department of Justice review said the Metropolitan Police Department needed to tighten up its command procedures for incidents in which more than one officer is involved in a confrontation in which guns are drawn on a suspect.

The review also determined the department's overall policies and procedures were "cumbersome and not structured in a clear and concise manner that would allow for quick guidance when needed," the the department said in a written statement.

Metro voluntarily took part in the eight-month review after a spate of officer-involved shootings in 2011. The inquiry looked into a range of areas from training and tactics to the way shooting cases are reviewed.

"The issues facing the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department are not unique. Numerous agencies are facing similar challenges," said Bernard Melekian, the director of the department's Office of Community Orienting Policing Services. "We are very encouraged by the department's proactive commitment to identifying problems and fixing them."

Metro had no immediate comment Thursday; however the Justice Department said police commanders had implemented many of the recommendations before they were made public Thursday.