Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

A ‘big deal for the community’: Metro substation unveiled on west side

Spring Valley Area Command Opens

L.E. Baskow

Capt. Brian Greenway speaks about his new command while guests are invited to tour during the official opening for the Spring Valley Area Command to service a portion of the western valley on Tuesday, August 30, 2016.

Spring Valley Area Command Opens

Sheriff Joe Lombardo speaks while joined by public officials during the opening ceremonies for the Spring Valley Area Command to service a portion of the western valley on Tuesday, August 30, 2016. Launch slideshow »

Dozens of locals gleed as an oversized pair of scissors nipped through the ceremonious ribbon — yellow police tape — marking the public's first look at the new west valley Metro Police substation.

The opening of the Spring Valley Area Command and its 159-member staff, including 101 officers, aims to cut police response times and enhance community interaction, police officials said.

Clark County Sheriff Joseph Lombardo addressed dozens of attendees under canopies in the station's parking lot: "This deserves to be a substation because the community here deserves it."

The station, 8445 Eldora St., near Sahara Avenue and Durango Drive, was built in 2012, but because it lacked proper staffing, it was previously only used by the department's traffic bureau, police officials said.

Metro plucked officers from other substations to staff the new command, he said. Most officers already patrolled the area prior to the area command's official opening on Friday, station Capt. Brian Greenway said.

The area was previously patrolled by officers from two other substations, which strained response times due in part to distances they had to travel to calls, Lombardo said.

Staffing and response times at the other stations won't be affected as new Metro academy graduates should level off numbers, Lombardo said.

Officers will have more time for face-to-face communication and engagement with the community. “Our goal is not to respond to calls," Greenway said. "Our goal is to prevent the calls before they happen.”

On Tuesday, Lombardo, Clark County Commissioner Susan Brager and Las Vegas Councilman Bob Beers together cut the police tape, and dozens of locals, police and officials streamed indoors for tours and refreshments. Some asked Lombardo and other leaders for photos.

In short speeches, Brager praised Lombardo and Beers encouraged the community to be more involved with police, asking them to join the citizen's academy. Both complimented Metro.

Greenway said he was excited for the station's opening, which he noted was a long time coming. "The residents of this area deserve better and they got better today."

Lombardo called the new substation a "big deal for the community."

Join the Discussion:

Check this out for a full explanation of our conversion to the LiveFyre commenting system and instructions on how to sign up for an account.

Full comments policy