District of Nevada: Partnerships for Las Vegas Gang-Related Violence Reduction

Project Safe Neighborhoods, District of Nevada

FY 2021 Project Abstract

The Office of Criminal Justice Assistance (OCJA) as the fiscal agent for the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada’s (USAO-Nevada) Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Task Force submits this application and plan for the PSN grant fiscal year 2021 (PSN FY21 Grant).

Nevada remains in the top five worst states in the nation for the number of violent crimes with a rate of 636 incidents per 100,000 state residents. Nevada has the sixth highest murder rate with 6.0 murders per 100,000. Las Vegas has experienced a large increase in gang violence involving a firearm or other deadly weapon in the Las Vegas valley resort corridors. In this area violent crimes are up 87% in 2021 year to date with aggravated assaults with a firearm up 157% in 2021 year to date. Murders during this time frame have increased 600% when comparing 2020 and 2021.

Due to the increase in gang violence associated with firearms, the 2021 PSN will focus on the Las Vegas valley resort corridors, primarily Convention Center Area Command (CCAC) and Downtown Area Command (DTAC). Much of the violent crime occurs in and around the resort corridors along Las Vegas Boulevard, Fremont Street and the Las Vegas “strip”, visited by large numbers of tourists and Las Vegas residents.

LVMPD will utilize detectives from the Gang Vice Bureau and Gang Section, collaborating with CCAC and DTAC officers to conduct covert and overt operations focused on violent crimes associated with gang related activities in the specified areas. To compliment and expand on the law enforcement component of the grant, the PSN Task Force will work to provide a safe community through collaboration with community members and partners.

The FY21 PSN Program intends to focus on fostering meaningful partnerships with LVMPD for law enforcement, Clark County School District for school engagement and Clark County District Attorney’s Office for prosecution, and involvement with community organizations to make the communities safer. The FY21 PSN grant funding will be used to fund overtime for the LVMPD Gang Section investigating gang-related incidents and violent crimes while building rapport with community leaders, enhance lines of communication, and mechanisms for seeking community support to identify and report on gang activities through a community outreach component.