Las Vegas Strip Gun Arrests Spark Police ‘Operation Persistent Pressure II’

Posted on: May 9, 2021, 08:39h.

Last updated on: May 9, 2021, 04:51h.

Larry Henry Read More

Expertise: Commercial Gaming, Gaming Business, Legislation, Politics, Regulation.

A surge in Las Vegas gun crimes has promoted a police captain to tweet that “Operation Persistent Pressure II” is underway. Some of these arrests are on or near the Las Vegas Strip.

This image in a tweet from Las Vegas Police Capt. Dori Koren shows a gold-plated AK-47 that officers recently confiscated. Kalashnikov rifles were first produced in 1947, thus the name AK-47. (Image: *LVMPD*)

Since the beginning of May, Capt. Dori Koren of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department has tweeted videos and photographs of weapons and illegal narcotics that officers have confiscated in the Las Vegas Valley.

A tweet from Koren on May 6 shows a Kalashnikov rifle. The tweet reads, “While most people were sleeping last night, our (Convention Center Area Command) officers were catching bad guys! Yep, that’s right … they recovered this gold plated AK-47 rifle, a handgun, & some illegal drugs from a convicted felon out of Oregon.”

The combined city-county police department, known locally as Metro, handles criminal complaints throughout Clark County. Las Vegas is in Clark County. The Strip is outside Las Vegas city limits.

Koren’s Twitter account states he is a captain “for the Las Vegas Strip and Chairman of the Intelligence Commanders Group for the Major Cities Chiefs Association.”

A tweet on May 7 includes a brief video showing officers loading up their cruisers as they prepare to head out on patrol.

The video includes a musical soundtrack. In the background are the Wynn Las Vegas and adjacent Encore hotel-casinos. These Wynn Resorts properties are on the Strip where the now-demolished Desert Inn once stood. The tweet states that the officers seen in the video are a fraction of those going out on the Strip “RIGHT NOW as a part of Operation Persistent Pressure II.”

Out-of-Town Gangs

Last year, Metro launched a crime suppression effort that police officials dubbed “Operation Persistent Pressure.” This resulted from a series of shootings, stabbings, and fights on the Strip and nearby tourist areas.

These violent incidents led to numerous hospitalizations, arrests, and weapons confiscations. Some of the shootings and fights were captured on eyewitness video and posted on Las Vegas newspaper and television station websites.

At the time, Koren told county officials that much of the violence was coming from out-of-town gangs and visitors.

The first Operation Persistent Pressure was in place in tourist areas on Friday and Saturday nights from Sept. 18 to Dec. 20. It resulted in the arrest of 1,229 people. The Nevada Highway Patrol assisted in the effort.

‘A Dangerous Job’

In addition to showing a confiscated AK-47, Koren’s recent Twitter feed includes images of other weapons that police recovered from criminal suspects just since May 1.

Two tweets from Koren on May 4 show weapons that patrol officers confiscated apparently on or near the Strip. One tweet includes a photo of a handgun with an obliterated serial number.

The suspect was an ex-felon for murder out of CA,” Koren tweeted. “It’s a dangerous job, but our cops are not afraid.”

Another May 4 tweet from Koren shows a derringer handgun. The tweet states that police recovered the weapon from a teenager on the Strip. The suspect attempted to evade officers.

The tweet states, “The juvenile suspect had priors for robbery & home invasion. It was a great catch & one that likely prevented violence!”