- Las Vegas’ top police officer evaluated the behavior of football stars
- Lt. Kendall Bell warned players about drug use and extortion
- The players were under intense scrutiny during their time in Sin City
A senior Las Vegas police officer has applauded the off-field behavior of NRL stars in Sin City, saying there was no problem with the players.
Lieutenant Kendall Bell, who was responsible for security at this year’s Super Bowl, has been in contact with stars and officials from the four NRL clubs involved in the season-opening doubleheader.
Before the games, he stressed a warning message, advising players to enjoy Las Vegas responsibly and avoid the risks associated with prostitution and drugs.
Bell even made his phone number available to players and told them to call him if they found themselves in a dangerous situation, but luckily they didn’t call him once.
“There haven’t been any problems,” Bell said. The Sydney Morning Herald.
Lieutenant Kendall Bell said NRL players had an impeccable record in Las Vegas.
Bell made his personal number available to players and says he did not receive a single call (pictured, Manly’s Tom Trbojevic playing Souths in Las Vegas)
‘Everyone was respectable. They did everything we liked them to do. I hope they had a great time too.
“I’d like to think they had fun and did it responsibly.”
Bell had warned clubs and players about the dangers of Las Vegas, including extortion attempts, sexual entrapments and deadly drugs.
Of particular concern was the unintentional use of fentanyl, a powerful synthetic drug used for severe pain and known to be 50 to 100 times more potent than heroin.
Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid pain reliever that is often prescribed for the treatment of severe pain, such as in chronic pain or post-surgical recovery. Sometimes it is also used as anesthesia.
The drug is approximately 50 to 100 times stronger than morphine, and its misuse, whether through inappropriate prescription or illegal distribution, poses a significant risk of overdose and respiratory distress, leading to deaths.
Research has shown that the drug kills about 70,000 people in the United States each year and its potency increases when mixed with alcohol or other recreational drugs.
‘I’d like to think (they took my advice). “Either that, or they’re all grown men, they know what’s expected of them,” Bell said.
Bell had previously warned players about the dangers of Las Vegas, including drugs and prostitution.
Las Vegas police said players and fans could return next year.
‘There’s also what they heard from their teams. They didn’t want to come here and perform poorly for themselves, for their team and for their country.
‘And maybe a little (it was due to) what we talked about. Whatever path they chose, they did a good job.’
Bell said players and fans would be welcome to return to the city in the future.
