Police Bargain for Accountability: Union Launches Billboard Offensive Against ‘Morale Killer’ Captain

In a bold move emblematic of grassroots courage and solidarity, the Las Vegas Police Protective Association took a stand this week: hiring a mobile billboard to call out Capt. Landon Reyes for what they describe as leadership that crushes morale. They accuse him of treating veteran officers and supervisors with disrespect, undermining personal responsibility and professional accountability. When traditional channels faltered, the union tapped a free-market solution—paying for what they couldn’t achieve by appealing to bureaucracy.

Detective Steve Grammas, the union president, says he fielded numerous complaints from every rank—patrol officers, detectives, even lieutenants—who claim Reyes maligns his subordinates and disparages the union’s contract won in court. But when those concerns reached higher-ups, they were brushed off by Chief Hernandez, allegedly with a dismissive “whining cops” comment. That’s the kind of tone deafness the union aimed to expose. If the command structure refuses to act, the officers must.

The billboard truck, emblazoned with “Do not support LVMPD’s CAPTAIN REYES” and “Morale Killer,” rolled through South Central LVMPD territory on July 16–17 in hopes of sparking the one change Rodeo Drive billboards never could: serious leadership reform. Grammas calls their effort an “out-of-the-box” step to defend officers who otherwise lack recourse—an embodiment of personal initiative when government fails.

Far from being an attack on the department, this initiative is framed as a push for greater accountability and effective leadership—qualities that enhance community safety. And it’s not the first time the union has used advertising to press for change: past billboards have addressed contract disputes and criticized NFL leadership’s push for biometric data at Allegiant Stadium events.

Union leaders say their message achieved immediate results: officers reportedly used a shift briefing to air grievances directly to Reyes, and the captain reportedly asked for honest feedback. That’s what transparency and economic freedom look like—a market of ideas on wheels, where good leadership is demanded and bad leadership exposed.

If bureaucratic authority won’t uphold the standards of respect and accountability deserving of public servants, unions and free citizens must. This reminds us of the core conservative conviction: when officials stumble, we don’t beg for redress—we speak up and deploy private solutions to protect personal dignity and public safety. Should public servants wait for permission, or should they lead the charge themselves?

Original source: Las Vegas Review‑Journal / KTNV