Guns and roses for this cop

The cop, who drew flak for helping a Guns N’ Roses guitarist use the department’s helicopter in August 2013, will now be reinstated

Las Vegas: A former Las Vegas police captain who preferred to resign rather than be demoted for helping a Guns N’ Roses guitarist use the department’s helicopter for an elaborate wedding proposal is poised to get his job back, have his record cleared and be paid what he would have earned since December 20, 2013, when he left the department.

 Guns N’ Roses guitarist DJ Ashba reacts to the crowd at a concert. Pic/AP

A state agency that resolves disputes between public agencies and employees ordered the Las Vegas police department on Friday to reinstate David O’Leary to his job as captain.

The Las Vegas police department said in a statement that the agency disagrees with the ruling and plans to appeal. Any appeal would be made to the state’s district court in Clark County. The ruling from the Local Government Employee-Management Relations Board said the department’s decision to demote O’Leary was politically motivated because of the negative attention the helicopter ride attracted at the same time the department was attempting to lobby for a sales tax increase to pay for additional officers.

O’Leary had been criticised for helping arrange a police helicopter ride for friend Daren Jay “DJ” Ashba in August 2013 so the guitarist for Guns N’ Roses could propose to then-girlfriend Nathalia Henao. It was Ashba’s social media posts on Instagram thanking the Las Vegas police department for its help arranging the helicopter tour and subsequent proposal in a field of roses that prompted the investigation into O’Leary and the helicopter pilot’s actions. O’Leary had been with the department for nearly 25 years and led its financial crimes division. He ultimately resigned before he could be demoted a rank to lieutenant, later applying with the department to rescind his resignation. It was not rescinded.

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