Nevada chief investigator loses job after calling police officer a homophobic slur

A chief investigator in Nevada has lost his job after body camera footage from a traffic stop showed him calling an officer a homophobic slur.

William Scott Jr., 62, is “no longer employed” as the chief of investigations at the Nevada Attorney General's Office, a spokesperson told TV station KLAS, following his confrontation with an officer on August 18. Scott was cited for holding his phone while driving as he was operating a state vehicle, leading to a heated exchange.

The video shows the officer asking for Scott's identification, to which he said, “I’m retired police captain with Metro — and I am the chief of investigations right now with AG’s Office."

“OK, then you know the law, then,” the officer replied.

Scott then invoked Clark County Sheriff Kevin McMahill, telling the officer, “So maybe I just call Kevin and just tell Kevin you’re giving me a hard time because — I’m telling you, I didn’t know dude."

Later in the video, as the officer returned with a ticket, Scott attempted to exit his vehicle, prompting the officer to tell him, “Sit in the car, sir. Stop! Every second I spend with you tells me there’s no way you’re a retired cop.”

Scott then pulled out his badge to show the officer as they continued to argue. As the exchange ended and the two began to leave, Scott called the officer a slur for gay men.

“Bye, I have enough money to pay for mine, f*ggot,” Scott said.

“OK, very classy," the officer responded. "I’m so glad that you’re retired and not with the department anymore."

Scott’s ticket was later amended to a parking violation by the Las Vegas Municipal Court, and he paid a fine of $119, according to the outlet.

Scott was appointed by Democratic Attorney General Aaron Ford in 2020 one year after retiring as a captain with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. His LinkedIn profile states that he teaches several law enforcement classes, including “Preventing Police on Police Confrontations," “Ethics in Leadership," and "Policing with Pride."

A spokesperson for the attorney general’s office condemned Scott's behavior shortly after the video was made public, telling KLAS at the time that the office "does not condone Chief Scott’s conduct or comments."

"Accordingly, and consistent with office policy, we are conducting an internal inquiry into the matter to determine an appropriate course of action that comports with our commitment to respect and anti-discrimination," the spokesperson said. "Chief Scott has expressed sincere remorse and apologizes for his actions. We will not comment further at this time.”