Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

As valley crime rises, Lombardo reinstates Metro gang unit

In an effort to combat a cited rise in violent crime, Clark County Sheriff Joseph Lombardo announced Tuesday the re-implementation of a Metro Police Gangs/Vice Bureau.

The agency decentralized several of its units, including the gang unit, in 2015. The reconstituted unit will be created within the next two weeks.

"While cities across the nation are also experiencing increases in violence, a common belief is the incidents are driven by gangs and guns in communities," the release reads. "In evaluating the successes and shortcomings of (Metro Police) over the last year, talking with those in the organization, as well as community stakeholders, the overwhelming message is to focus on the issues that appear to be behind most of the violent crime. These issues come down to gangs and vice.”

Last year, Metro homicide detectives investigated 166 homicides, compared to 136 the previous year. Midway through 2016, Lombardo said that in about half of the cases, the victim, suspect or both had gang ties. So far in 2017, the agency has investigated 21 homicides, about the same number from the same time a year ago, police logs show.

In the gang unit's decentralization, investigators were dispersed across the valley to each substation. Lombardo justified the move by saying each area encountered unique issues, and detectives would be able to familiarize themselves with a specific part of town and better respond to the gang crime in that area. Other Metro leadership members said it made for better inter-departmental communication. Critics including the Las Vegas Police Protective Association said it de-specialized and "dented" the unit and they worried the officers were being sent to calls that had nothing to do with gang activity.

"(Metro) will do everything in its power to fight this criminal plague," the release continued. "The patrol area commands are responsible for responding to all calls for service in the valley. That workload does not give patrol officers the ability to concentrate their efforts on the gang and vice nexus."

Weapons, illegal narcotics, and human trafficking were cited as avenues employed by gangs to benefit groups or individuals.

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