Hoover Dam officers getting thousands of rounds of ammo

LAS VEGAS – The federal agency overseeing water and power is in the market for 52,000 rounds of ammunition for its officers at Hoover Dam and the Lake Mead National Recreation Area, raising questions about weapons for nonmilitary purposes.

The Bureau of Reclamation put out a bid in June for 41,600 rounds of hollow-point ammunition and 10,400 rounds of shotgun ammunition.

The ammo is being paid for by revenue from utility companies that buy electricity from Hoover Dam, but the bureau won’t say how it will be used or offer details on its law enforcement plan at the popular tourist destinations. A 2008 review of federal law enforcement indicated 21 officers patrolled Hoover Dam, the Las Vegas Sun reported.

“We want to limit the amount of information any bad guys might have about our protection capabilities,” Bureau of Reclamation spokeswoman Rose Davis told the newspaper.

In addition to the bureau, which operates in Nevada out of its Boulder City office, the Department of Homeland Security and the Las Vegas police department are also called upon to handle Hoover Dam security.