Sheriff touts crime reduction in Las Vegas since 2005

By Jackie Valley

Thursday, Jan. 13, 2011 | 5:41 p.m.

Crime reductions don't mean the battle for a safer Las Vegas is ever over, says Sheriff Doug Gillespie.

But for a moment during a Thursday news conference, Gillespie celebrated numerous downward crime trends in the city, including a nearly 15 percent drop in violent crimes since 2005.

Reductions between 2005 and 2010 include:

- 64 percent decrease in auto thefts (19,759 in 2005 compared to 7,076 in 2010)

- 18 percent decrease in robberies (4,191 in 2005 compared to 3,450 in 2010)

- 56 percent decrease in traffic fatalities (184 in 2005 compared to 85 in 2010)

- 36 percent decrease in auto burglaries (11,208 in 2005 compared to 7,158 in 2010)

- 24 percent decrease in homicides (152 in 2005 compared to 115 in 2010)

- 36 percent decrease in assaults with firearms (1,206 in 2005 compared to 770 in 2010)

- 9 percent decrease in burglaries (16,471 in 2005 compared to 15,023 in 2010)

Overall, property crimes dipped by about 38 percent, going from 47,438 in 2005 to 29,257 in 2010.

Gillespie credits a more robust police force, collaboration among agencies and better crime-fighting strategies for the crime reductions during a period marked by a tanking economy.

"We were not going to use the economy as an excuse," he said. "We were going to work very, very hard to continue to see those numbers trend down."

Flanked by captains of Metro's patrol divisions outside the Downtown Area Command, Gillespie shifted much of the praise to them. Every Tuesday, he meets with the captains to discuss crime trends and how to combat any problems that exist.

"I'm very, very proud of this organization for what it is they have accomplished, but even more so, what we as a community have accomplished," he said.

The More Cops Sales Tax Initiative, enacted in 2005, has allowed Metro to hire 552 police officers since 2006 — another key factor in decreasing crime, the sheriff said.

"That has added to our police officer-to-citizen ratio and because of that, it has provided us the ability to be more proactive in our approach to policing," Gillespie said.

One of those proactive approaches is the Crime-free Corridor, a downtown program in its beginning stages.

Capt. Michael Dalley of the Downtown Area Command said Crime-free Corridor is a collaboration among police, area businesses and citizens to keep the area safe. It stretches from Main to 15th streets along Fremont Street, including a block north and south.

Redevelopment and beautification projects along East Fremont Street also are helping to lower crime in the area, Dalley said.

"It really helps create a safer environment, a safer feeling," he said.

While much of the crime trends constitute good news, sexual assaults have continued inching up the past several years, Gillespie said.

"Sexual assaults is one where we are not ringing the bell," he said, adding that most of the assaults are acquaintance interactions, rather than involving strangers.

With increased public awareness campaigns and modified crime-fighting strategies, Gillespie said he hopes that number can be brought down as well.

"I believe policing has become much more strategic in their approach to problem-solving — whether it's the budget, whether it's crime, whether it's personnel issues," he said. "We look at the gamut."

Gillespie said he plans to keep challenging officers to continue lowering crime, with the community's help.

"Make no mistake: We are not satisfied," he said. "We have a lot of work ahead of us."