Agent Rachael Martines

Nevada Gaming Control Board

Washington, DC—The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF) has announced the selection of Agent Rachael Martines of the Nevada Gaming Control Board as the December 2004 Officer of the Month.
Working as a marketing director and business administrator left Agent Rachael Martines wanting more. The longer Agent Martines worked in the private sector, the greater her need to leave and find a job that would allow her to help others in the community. On January 18, 1994, Rachael Martines’ dream was realized when she was hired as an agent of the Nevada Gaming Control Board’s enforcement division. Five months later in June of 1994 Agent Martines received her Nevada Peace Officer’s Standards and Training Category-1 certification and began in full her role in improving the community. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from UNLV and is a 1994 graduate of the State of Nevada Peace Officer Standards and Training program.
Christmas of 1999 did not go as planned for four patrons at a local casino. The casino’s security department had detained these four individuals for gambling with counterfeit $100 bills. Being Christmas Eve, the Secret Service field office was short staffed and requested Agent Martines to assist in the investigation. As a direct result of her involvement in this case more than $33,000 in counterfeit $100 bills was recovered as well as evidence that led to the investigation of a Los Angeles street gang responsible for printing the phony bills.
The very next month, in January of 2000 Agent Martines conducted an investigation involving a theft at a Las Vegas casino. Two employees were arrested and charged with felony theft and unlawful use of a computer. During the course of the investigation Agent Martines discovered that criminal and regulatory violations were occurring at the casino, perpetrated by company executives, employees and patrons. The sheer magnitude of the reported violations prompted Agent Martines to request that the Gaming Control Board create a task force comprised of agents from various gaming divisions to investigate the numerous and complex allegations. The task force, the first ever established by the Board, was diligent in its efforts and four years later the investigation resulted in 61 gaming violations being issued against the casino. Subsequently the business was assessed a substantial fine and disciplinary action was taken by the Nevada Gaming Commission.
In her 11 years as an agent of the Nevada Gaming Control Board, Agent Martines has worked in many units including the field services, operations, background investigations and criminal intelligence, as well as Assistant to the Chief. During her four years in the field services and criminal investigations units, she was involved in a total of 227 cases, 224 of which were solved.
In May of 2001 while off duty and driving her young daughter to a tennis competition, Rachael Martines came upon a serious traffic accident. The vehicle had rolled and the occupants were ejected. Among the victims thrown from the vehicle Agent Martines found an 18 month old baby girl whose organs had been eviscerated and who had stopped breathing. Agent Martines covered the child, applied pressure and restored the child’s breathing through the use of CPR. Agent Martines continued to provide the life saving first aid until the ambulance arrived and transported the victims to the hospital. Due to the actions taken by Agent Martines, the child survived and made a complete recovery.
Agent Martines continues to serve her community working for the Nevada Gaming Control Board. Along with her normal law enforcement duties, Agent Martines is a defensive tactics and use of force instructor for the agency and is a guest lecturer at the University of Las Vegas. In February 2005 she will begin a two-year assignment to the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force in Las Vegas.
The Police Unity Tour is the official sponsor of the Memorial Fund’s Officer of the Month Program.