Las Vegas Crime Edges Up, Officials to Discuss Trends

Posted on: September 25, 2024, 08:06h. 

Last updated on: September 25, 2024, 10:32h.

Ed Silverstein @casinoorgedsilv Read More
Expertise: Legal, Tribal Gaming.

The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) is continuing initiatives to curb crime in areas popular with tourists, as well as in other neighborhoods. But overall crime reported in Las Vegas increased slightly in 2023 when compared to 2022.

A LVMPD SUV
A LVMPD SUV, pictured above. Officers are trying to curb crime on the Las Vegas Strip and in other neighborhoods. (Image: Flickr)

According to recently-released statistics from the FBI, during 2023 there were 133,718 total incidents compared to 131,884 in 2022. That’s about a 1.4% jump, according to Las Vegas TV station KVVU.

Homicides decreased about 12% between the two years but drug incidents increased about 10%.

Public Safety Town Hall

As crime continues to be a concern for many Las Vegas residents, businesses, and visitors, local officials will hold a public safety town hall on Thursday. The program will be held between 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. at the LVMPD’s Northwest Area Command (NWAC) at 9850 W. Cheyenne Ave. Among those speaking will be Captain Noe Esparza, who heads up the NWAC.

Recent crime trends and how the LVMPD is responding, to curb and prevent crime, will be addressed.

LVMPD Captain Steve Connell recently told KVVU that Las Vegas Sheriff Kevin McMahill “wants the tourist corridor safe. We have pushed hard from the start of the year to make his vision happen.”

Officers check crime trends weekly to prioritize areas or crimes that need more attention.

One new effort at increased enforcement — the Edged Weapon Initiative — has led to 300 arrests. It’s a joint effort by the LVMPD and Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson designed to prevent violent crime, deter other crimes, seize guns, knives, and other weapons, and arrest suspects.

A prior initiative called the Order Out ordinance attempts to prevent crime on The Strip and in other tourist areas.

Under that initiative, a judge can order specific criminals to stay away from specific areas. Violators can be sentenced to six months in jail and be forced to pay up to a $1,000 fine.

During the COVID pandemic, LVMPD launched a selective enforcement initiative to prevent crimes on The Strip and opened new LVMPD substations in various areas, such as near the Fremont Street Experience in Downtown Las Vegas.

Visitor Violently Attacked on Strip

Even with these initiatives, there are still a variety of crimes found in Las Vegas tourist areas.

For instance, officers continue to search for the two suspects who just this past weekend attacked a St. Louis husband and wife who were visiting the Las Vegas Strip to celebrate their sixth wedding anniversary.

Mitchell Stonebarger had a video camera with him and was capturing scenes of a popular tourist area when, suddenly, two men approached him and got angry when Stonebarger began to film them. He was kicked and punched, and suffered swelling and bruises on his face, Las Vegas TV station KLAS reported.

A crowd watched the incident unfold but none of the onlookers came to assist, the victims said. None of the witnesses even checked up on the couple after the attack.

The victims later reported the attack to the LVMPD. The visitors said they don’t plan to return to Las Vegas soon.

“You hear people say, ‘Be careful outside of The Strip.’ I’m saying, be careful in The Strip,” Mitchell Stonebarger told KLAS.