A shortage of armed security officers at Las Vegas casinos is on track to be resolved next month after action taken Wednesday by the Nevada Gaming Control Board.

Casinos have faced a shortage since last spring, when gaming regulators were prohibited by the FBI from using a federal database to do background checks on armed officers being hired or whose licenses were coming up for renewal. The Board recommended that the Nevada Gaming Commission, at its October meeting, approve changes to state regulations that will make it easier for casinos to hire and retain armed guards.

To deal with the shortage, those who apply for a concealed carry permit will be allowed to go through a criminal background check with their county sheriff’s department rather than the Gaming Control Board, since it’s been deemed illegal now to do so. Armed security would have a registration for the CCW for 120 days while they wait for background checks to be completed; the registration can be revoked or denied if it doesn’t come back in time.

Active-duty and retired law enforcement officers in good standing can be licensed without going through that process.

The meeting comes a month after a man stabbed two Red Rock Resort employees before a security guard shot and injured him. The man is facing charges of attempted murder and battery with the use of a deadly weapon.

The Board’s action was applauded by the Nevada casino industry.

Virginia Valentine, president of the Nevada Resort Association, thanked the Board for dealing with the problem and developing a solution.

“This allows the resorts to maintain staffing levels for new hires and renewing registrations,” Valentine said. “The security of our team members and guests is of paramount importance. We had a recent example where an armed security guard made a big difference at a resort.”

Board Chair Kirk Hendrick called it an important issue for the industry and “extremely important for the employees and citizens of Nevada and of course our visitors.”

Hendrick said they needed to fix a problem they didn’t create. “We understand other agencies can’t have just anybody looking through non-public records for employment purposes,” Hendrick said. “Still, we need to hire and retain well-qualified people to be armed security. Police departments can’t be there on a full-time basis, so they rely on security guards, both armed and unarmed, with qualified backgrounds to be there.”

Ray Steiber, executive director of special operations and corporate security at MGM Resorts International, said that MGM, a major operator with 14 gaming and non-gaming properties on the STrip, views public safety as the highest priority.

“Safety is critically important for the 50,000 southern Nevada-based team members who work at our resorts, as well as the millions of tourists our industry welcomes every year,” Steiber said in supporting the proposed regulations. “This will enable us to more appropriately equip our security officers.”

Kristi Torgerson, chief of the Board’s enforcement division, said the receipt that sheriff’s departments can submit to the Board for a temporary registration is verifiable and can be double checked to see that the CCW application has been filed. She said there are advantages to the changes.

“Now we’re back to doing a full background,” Torgerson said. “A more comprehensive background check is being done by the sheriff’s office. We’re looking at mental-health issues and people out of the country. They’re doing more in-depth checks because they have those resources and the authority to do so. Partnering with them long term provides applicants that are vetted and screened at a higher level.”

Torgerson said that while they use a CCW as licensing temporarily, the Board is running fingerprints on applicants that come back in the form of a rap sheet.

“We have 120 days to review the registration and approve that, and the rap sheet will come back in that time period,” Torgerson said. “If we find something that’s objectionable, we can object to them at that time. The CCW gets them in the door to be properly vetted and start working and we apply our standard to that.”

For Las Vegas properties, Torgerson said Metro Police will do an all-50-states warrant check and look for people coming from outside the country that the Board currently isn’t able to address.

The change will impact new hires the most; armed security who know their five-year license is about to expire can seek out a CCW permit, Torgerson said.

“It’s about new people coming into the industry. What’s important today is their trying to get people into position and get them trained and vetted, so we can have guns within the casino in support of Metro Police and public safety.”

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