Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Las Vegas police, Muslim community join for Ramadan event

Brian Ramos

Las Vegas Metro Police and the Muslim community feast and gather together during a Night of Power event at the Metro Police Summerlin Area Command Wednesday, April 27, 2022.

As plates of dates and lentil soup were being passed around at Metro Police Summerlin Area Command, many officers and wallflowers looked around not knowing if they should be partaking in such a holy event.

A woman broke the silence, calling out: “Eat! Just because we fasted, doesn’t mean you have to as well.”

"Night of Power" Event With Metro Police

Members of the Muslin community pray during a Night of Power event at the Metro Police Summerlin Area Command Wednesday, April 27, 2022. Launch slideshow »

The room filled with laughter and any tensions were assuredly eased as Metro opened its doors to dozens of Muslim and interfaith Las Vegans on Wednesday night to pray and eat dinner in an event that department officials described as a game-changer in the way officers interact with the community.

More than 30 people showed up at the command center at sunset to break their Ramadan fast on a night known as Laylat al-Qadr, or Night of Power in English. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar and is observed by fasting from dawn until dusk, and is also regarded as a time for prayer, reflection and community. Sunday evening marks Eid al-Fitr, the end of Ramadan.

Shelved the past two years because of COVID-19 precautions, the idea for an interfaith dinner hosted by Metro came after a 2016 attack on a Texas mosque. Department heads have felt a need to continue the tradition.

“What a phenomenal opportunity to truly share a culture that I’ve learned is so rich and goes back so far in history and has had such an influence on modern society,” said Capt. Dave Sims, an organizer for the event, adding that he hopes other large police departments across the country follow suit.

“I think when you look at other agencies across the country, the value of extending and opening your proverbial door to your department, you’re giving exposure to it and you’re giving a forum to be able to start these conversations,” he said. “That’s how you break down barriers and build trust.”

Laylat al-Qadr, according to Islamic theologists, is an odd-ending day in the final 10 days of Ramadan in which the revelation of the Quran descended upon Earth, marking the creation of the Muslim community. If done correctly, praying on Laylat al-Qadr can be akin to a thousand months of prayer.

Speaking to attendees, as well as nearly two dozen Metro personnel, Mujahid Ramadan — chair of Metro’s Multicultural Advisory Council and a practicing Muslim himself — said events like these show an appreciation for a small, tight-knit community that may not otherwise interact with police unless it’s for a negative reason.

“It’s a wonderful experience for a public service agency that you won’t find around the country doing this … to be a part of a celebration that is sacred,” Ramadan said. “And by showing that sacredness, that (Muslim) population here now has a greater appreciation for LVMPD.”

Sims sees similarities between the Muslim community and police in that negative assumptions can be made about an individual even before interacting with them. That, Sims said, is an important reason to extend an olive branch.

“We have parallels in that people look at police officers and make assumptions and are, at times, misunderstood,” Sims said. “There are so many of those parallels there, I know that there are lessons that can be learned.”

Doors at Summerlin Area Command opened around 6:30 p.m., followed by brief remarks from Sims and then a video explaining the month of Ramadan and the Night of Power. Afterward, at 7:24 p.m., attendees broke their fast with dates and lentil soup followed by an evening maghrib prayer and a larger dinner.

Las Vegas Councilwoman Victoria Seaman, also in attendance, credited Metro for opening its doors and said it’s up to public entities — especially police — to form an inclusive environment for all constituents.

“What I really admire about Metro is that they do have diversity within their organization,” Seaman said. “And they reach out to all faiths in the community. And it’s really important what they do because a lot of people come to this country, the city, and they don’t know what to think of the police. And by reaching out to the community, it actually makes them feel safe.”

Aleemah Fir, 12, who attended the event with her two siblings and mother, agreed, adding that the language and cultural barrier for some Muslims can make it difficult to reach out to non-Muslims in the community.

“I think it’s important because some people need to be educated and learn more about it,” Aleemah said of the Night of Power. “And I also think it’s good for them (Metro) to learn their community better so they can interact better with each other.”

Sims said he noticed a difference in his officers’ morale in the lead-up to Wednesday’s event. Rather than the monotony of office work or the secondhand trauma that can come with answering calls in the field, interacting with community members for something other than traffic stops and making arrests has been a breath of fresh air, he said.

Rokai Yusefzai, a community affairs liaison for Metro, echoed many of the same thoughts but also challenged Metro to go even further. Already with a solid foundation, Yusefzai said, Metro can host other events like this and be a leading model for public agencies across the country.

“You’re getting to have a connection with somebody who opened their home to you,” he said. “It means a lot. It’s like we were really invited in his own home and break bread with a family — because this (police) is family.

“Because if we’re all involved as a whole, like a chain link, then guess what? The cops don’t have to worry about it so much because the community will take care of it.”