2010-09-07 09:20:11 -

Las Vegas officials have defended their decision to expedite PARIS HILTON 's recent release from jail, insisting the socialite needed to be dischar ged quickly to avoid any disruptions to normal operations.
The heiress was arrested on suspicion of cocaine possession

last month (Aug10) and taken to Sin City's Clark County Detention Center, where she waited just three hours until she was freed.
The average booking time for individuals facing the same charge is six hours - but jail officials admit Hilton was given preferential treatment for her own protection.
Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Deputy Chief Jim Dixon, who runs the cent re, claims Hilton needed to be rushed through the booking process in orde r to get her into an individual room and out of the prison as soon as pos sible.
He explains to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, "She was treated different ly so I don't have a disruption of my process here at the county jail.
"When you bring somebody in like that, everybody comes over and tries t o look at them. I'd have officers attempting to keep inmates away from he r. I'd have disruptions."