Nevada sheriff tells library to not call 911, then dials back on statement. Here’s why

A Nevada sheriff warned a county library not to call 911 before dialing back on that statement.

Douglas County Sheriff Daniel J. Coverley published an open letter to the Douglas County Public Library Board of Trustees threatening to not respond to their 911 calls. Coverley was addressing the trustees’ upcoming meeting, where they planned to discuss publishing a statement supporting diversity and inclusion.

Douglas County spans across much of east Lake Tahoe and regions around Highway 395.

In the letter, published Monday, the sheriff expressed concerns that the Black Lives Matter movement was not supported in fact, that the movement hurt law enforcement officers and that “to support this movement is to support violence.”

Coverley ended the letter by threatening to not respond to emergency calls by the library.

“Due to your support of Black Lives Matter and the obvious lack of support or trust with the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, please do not feel the need to call 911 for help. I wish you good luck with disturbances and lewd behavior, since those are just some of the recent calls my office has assisted you with in the past,” the sheriff wrote.

The Douglas County Library was planning a meeting to discuss a statement about diversity and inclusion. However, the meeting has been canceled.

The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office published another letter Tuesday, following the cancellation of the meeting, saying that they are working with the library to understand their intent behind the statement on inclusion.

Coverley clarified his earlier statement, stating they will continue to answer emergency calls from everyone.

“My response to the Library’s proposed agenda item was to provide public comment about their proposed diversity statement and to further provide open commentary about how this could affect our local law enforcement profession,” Coverley wrote. “We have a responsibility to provide service, leadership, guidance, and protection to our citizens, who in a partnership with us, strive to make our community a safer and more pleasant place to live.”

The Douglas County Library, as part of the Urban Library Council, signed onto a social equity statement Tuesday, with 180 libraries across the nation. Calling for inclusion and diversity, the statement planned to have community issues be addressed within libraries.

“Libraries are trusted, venerable and enduring institutions, central to their communities and an essential participant in the movement for racial and social equity,” the statement reads.