Chicago-Area Sheriffs Praise Las Vegas Sheriff After Shooting Massacre
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Two sheriffs in the Chicago area are giving good marks to the sheriff of the Las Vegas Police Department for the way he has led his department and kept the public informed since Sunday's massacre at a country music festival.
Lake County Sheriff Mark Curran said Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Sheriff Joe Lombardo has done well by staging regular briefings with the media and being as upfront as possible about what he can say about last Sunday's massacre.
Curran said he has a similar philosophy for dealing with the media.
"We want to be treated fairly, and so, it's incumbent on us that we treat the media fairly. That we answer all the questions that we can, we explain specifically why we can't, so he's done all that," Curran said.
Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart said that Lombardo has done an incredible job while being in a difficult position in the days since the massacre. Dart said by offering regular media briefings, Sheriff Lombardo gives the public the reassurance and helps tamp down rumors and conspiracy theories.
"He has been so forthcoming in this in such a sincere way and also talking about things he doesn't have answers to. And that's all the public has ever asked for. They want the reassurance of what is in fact going on - what do we know, what do we don't know," Dart said.
As for the Las Vegas sheriff's constant cool presence, Sheriff Curran said there is a certain numbness that happens with years in law enforcement that allows you to maintain that presence.