---
title: "Safe Village Initiative"
type: "pdf"
year: "2008"
canonical: "/projects/690"
---
LAS VEGAS METROPOLITAN POLICE DEPARTMENT
Doug GHlespie - Sheriff
2008 Herman Goldstein AWARD SUBMITTAL
THE SAFE VILLAGE INITIATIVE
Reducing Violent Firearms \& Gang related Crime in West Las Vegas
May 2008
# -Project Name: The Safe Village Initiative
-Inception Date: January 2006
-Projected End Date: Ongoing
-Partners: LVMPD, NLVPD, Booker Elem. School, Matt Kelly Elem. School, Canyon Springs High School, Seven Seas, Fitzgerald's Hotel, Cox Communications, Terrible Herbst Corp., Pastor Cherry, Pastor Rodgers, Pastor Troy, City Neighborhood Services, City Housing Authority, City Leisure Services, University Medical Center, Boys and Girls Club, Nevada Partners, Southern Nevada Gang Task Force, 10,000 Kids Inc., Pastor Rodgers, Pastor Cherry, The Principium Group, Kids In Motion.
-Law enforcement: The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD)
$\cdot$Address: 400 E. Stewart - Las Vegas, Nevada 89101
$\cdot$Principal Contact: Bruce Miyama, Lieutenant - Bolden Area Command - Submitting application
$\cdot$Phone: Cell: 702300-3782/P: 702262-3064/Desk: 702828-8343
-Fax: 702828-3152
-E-mail: b4219m@lvmpd.com
# Table of Contents
- [-Project Name: The Safe Village Initiative](#project-name-the-safe-village-initiative)
- [Program Summary](#program-summary)
- [For the future](#for-the-future)
- [Program Description](#program-description)
- [SAFE VILLAGE, THE NEED FOR A FOCUSED COMMUNITY BASED APPROACH](#safe-village-the-need-for-a-focused-community-based-approach)
- [THE HISTORIC VIEW OF WEST LAS VEGAS AND THE CONNECTION TO THE LVNIPD](#the-historic-view-of-west-las-vegas-and-the-connection-to-the-lvnipd)
- [VIOLENT CRIME ON THE RISE](#violent-crime-on-the-rise)
- [THE SAFE VILLAGE STRATEGIC PLAN](#the-safe-village-strategic-plan)
- [Results of the Effort](#results-of-the-effort)
- [Review of the Goals and Strategies of Safe Village that Resulted in the Reduction of Violent Crime in West Las Vegas](#review-of-the-goals-and-strategies-of-safe-village-that-resulted-in-the-reduction-of-violent-crime-in-west-las-vegas)
- [Goal 1 - Formation of Safe Village Coalition and implement the Strategic Plan.](#goal-1-formation-of-safe-village-coalition-and-implement-the-strategic-plan)
- [Strategy - Form a Safe Village Coalition](#strategy-form-a-safe-village-coalition)
- [Goal 2. Reduce the number of violent crimes and murders reported in the William 5/6 districts of the BAC by $15 \%$ in comparison with 2006 rates.](#goal-2-reduce-the-number-of-violent-crimes-and-murders-reported-in-the-william-56-districts-of-the-bac-by-15-in-comparison-with-2006-rates)
- [Goal 3. Conduct community mobilization efforts in conjunction with coalition partners.](#goal-3-conduct-community-mobilization-efforts-in-conjunction-with-coalition-partners)
- [CONCLUSION](#conclusion)
- [West Las Vegas gun crimes drop, Safe Village says](#west-las-vegas-gun-crimes-drop-safe-village-says)
- [Community group works to reduce violence](#community-group-works-to-reduce-violence)
- [Event puts gang violence on display Students take pan in simulation](#event-puts-gang-violence-on-display-students-take-pan-in-simulation)
- [W5 & 6 JAN 2005 - MAR 2007 413 CFS (ASSAULT/BATTERY WITH A GUN)](#w5-6-jan-2005-mar-2007-413-cfs-assaultbattery-with-a-gun)
- [W5 & 6 JAN 2005 - MAR 2007 415A CFS (ASSAULT/BATTERY WITH A GUN)](#w5-6-jan-2005-mar-2007-415a-cfs-assaultbattery-with-a-gun)
- [REFERENCES](#references)
## Program Summary
Safe Village is a multifaceted partnership between law enforcement, government agencies, community and faith based organizations to reduce overall violence and its impact in selected neighborhoods. The LVMPD is the lead in this effort because they are the one entity that is present on a 24 -hour basis.
In 2006 the West Las Vegas Community known as William 5/6 (hereafter W5/6) was rocked by violent gang related crime, including 14 murders. In January of 2007, five more murders occurred. The community asked for assistance in addressing the violent crime. Safe Village was the program recommended by the community. The demographics of the area are predominantly African-American. This is a low income area with the average annual household income being $\$ 13,000.00$. W5/6 represents the most government housing projects in a single geographic area in all of Southern Nevada.
The reality is that the police cannot arrest the problem away. Intervention and resources are needed. This large scale approach that became a tremendous success, required the teamwork of many entities, many of which had not worked with law enforcement before. With the goal being, 'To reduce violence in West Las Vegas', the biggest challenge of 'developing trust' would be achieved. The program was underway in February of 2007. A year later homicides were reduced by $40 \%$. And, gun related crimes dropped from 363, from February through August of 2006, to 205 for the same period in 2007.
From its inception, all the stakeholders were a part of the planning and implementation of Safe Village. They formed a steering committee which produced a simplistic plan that
would run smoothly as different personnel would be reassigned. Their 'global perspective' would be that the Safe Village model could be reproduced to any community in need. The partnerships were the key, and the driving force of Safe Village. This became evident when everyone followed through with their individual commitments, no matter what hour of the night they were needed. This is how Safe Village works:
-A young boy is shot and killed in the projects. Three of the faith-based pastors respond to the scene late at night days before Christmas. They provide benevolent support for the victims family. One pastor travels across the city to offer this same support to the suspects grandmother. The next morning these pastors have volunteers from their respective congregations, knock on doors and handout fliers in the surrounding projects and neighborhoods. The message is a resounding, 'Stop the violence'. 'Retaliation will make things worse'. The pastors know that if retaliatory violence can be prevented in the 24 -hours following a shooting, then all retaliatory violence decreases by $90 \%$.
-Within 48 hours a 'Safe Village Activation' takes place. A local youth group provides the traveling stage. They set it up next to the projects where the homicide occurred, and directly next to the elementary school. Safe Village volunteers grill hot dogs and hand out drinks to all the kids that are just getting out of elementary, middle and high schools. The children, teenagers and adults gather toward the stage as pastors and community leaders speak to, 'Stop the violence'. 'Retaliation will make things worse'. The mom of the victim gets on the stage and tearfully shares the same message.
-A young shooting victim is treated at the hospital for a gunshot wound. He does not admit to being a gang member, but the family expresses their concern to intake personnel about the boys life and his associates. Safe village case workers at the hospital interview the boy. A pastor is called who follows up with a home visit for the boy. He establishes a relationship with the boy, hoping to teach him that good choices will affect his destiny. The gang task force also becomes involved. They too mentor the boy. A call is put into 'Doolittle Community Center', a longstanding safe haven for the youth of West Las Vegas. They find an activity sponsored by the city for the boy to be a part of. The principal is contacted where the boy goes to school.
-Information is shared at quarterly safe village meetings. The gang task force and the Doolittle Center share information with the police, as to who they're hearing is responsible for recent violence. The police do the same, so as not to compromise ongoing investigations and operations. The gang task force reports the successes of the gang intervention training being completed at area schools. Trust is further established, the result of commitments being honored and the tangible progress being made. Homicides and retaliatory violence are down. There is good news of the property where the Madison Terrace projects once stood, now being developed as the Sarann Knight Apartments. This will be home to working families with an average annual household income of $\$ 25,000.00$, almost twice the average income for W5/6.
-The Safe Village Team (SVT) works out of Bolden Area Command, which serves W5/6. Composed of five officers, their mission is to earn the trust of the community and gather
intelligence of violent crimes. At night they check with area businesses and residents. One such business contacted is the New Town Tavern. They extend their thanks for all the police attention and visits, expressing the area is getting safer. They check on the area Jack-In-The-Box restaurant. Once the site of fight and guns calls, the police have not had a call there in months, in large part the result of work done by SVT officers. A contact gives them information about a affiliate to a homicide. Homicide detectives respond and later develop a suspect the result of the information. Later, they provide a list of names to Pastor Troy. The list contains names of boys involved in gangs that will benefit from his intervention program.
* During March 2008 the Bolden COP team and SVT partner with Matt Kelly Elementary School, and city neighborhood services. They take 32 kids fishing over Spring break. This was a highlight of the week officers spent with the kids. Meals were donated all week by churches and community groups. This 'first time' program proved to be a success. Underprivileged kids were in a safe environment, participating in confidence building activities, and developing trust in their police. Two months later during track break, 94 kids spend four days and three nights at a camp site in the mountains. Police provide atleast two officers around the clock for the entire camp. The officers interact with the kids. The police search and rescue helicopter flies in. Meals are again donated. A truly positive experience for the children and all involved.
# For the future
A gang related shooting occurs in February 2007 in which three gang members are shot and seriously injured. The next day Safe Village puts on an activation. A mom pushing her baby in a stroller thanks the Bolden Area Captain for being there, assuring him the area is getting better. Blocks away, investors begin a $\$ 400,000,000$ renovation at the Moulin Rouge. Boarded up for over 15 years, it was once a casino and nightclub during the 50 's, bringing the likes of Sammy Davis Jr. And Ray Charles to the hub of the black community. With crime down investors believe the 17 -acre property will infuse the West Las Vegas economy once again. On 02/25/08 Safe Village celebrates the successes of its first year at the Victory Outreach Church. Every local media outlet is there. Much has been learned and there's hope for a safer 2008.
# Program Description
## SAFE VILLAGE, THE NEED FOR A FOCUSED COMMUNITY BASED APPROACH
Safe Village is a partnership between law enforcement, government agencies, the community and faith based organizations to reduce overall violence and its impact in West Las Vegas. One of the key understandings by the Safe Village Coalition was the realization that no one component of the community could truly impact the violent crime and the fear. All the members of the community had to work in a collaborative effort to truly impact the chronic problems facing West Las Vegas.
In 2006 the West Las Vegas community district known as W5/6 reported an increase in murders and gun related violent crimes. Of significance and included in those numbers was the murder of citizens who were innocent bystanders. Gregory Adams, a 12 year old, was killed when he was caught in the crossfire of a gang drive-by shooting. Three citizens were killed during a Memorial Day party in the Berkley Square community. Mercy Adams was killed in Vegas Heights. The suspects in that murder then engaged in a gun battle with officers.
The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department noted that the West Las Vegas community was one of the areas with a high incidence of violent firearm and gang related crimes in the Las Vegas Metropolitan area. At the start of 2007 Safe Village began its work.
Safe Village is the result of the focus on making the community a safe place to live. The Initiative is composed of a variety of community, government, and faith based organizations in West Las Vegas who have all come together in an effort to reduce violent crime.
A Strategic Plan to reduce the level of violent gang crime in West Las Vegas was developed and implemented. Safe Village identified the best practices to reduce violent crime, added the input and best ideas from the community, government and other faith based groups, and implemented them in the West Las Vegas community. Those best practices were then used to develop a Strategic Plan that was used as a road map.
The efforts of Safe Village resulted in a marked reduction in violent crime in the West Las Vegas Community. In 2005 the police districts that compose West Las Vegas reported 603 gun related crimes. By 2006 this rate had increased to 632 reported crimes. In 2007 the Safe Village Initiative had been implemented and 390 reports of violent crime had been reported. ${ }^{1}$
[0]
[0]: ${ }^{1}$ Violent crimes reported were illegal shootings/discharge of firearms, person with illegal gun, assault with a deadly weapon involving a firearm, murder, and attempt murder.
# THE HISTORIC VIEW OF WEST LAS VEGAS AND THE CONNECTION TO THE LVNIPD
The oldest established neighborhoods in the region are contained in the confines of City of Las Vegas boundaries. One of those communities is West Las Vegas. The community is a predominantly African-American community that has the highest rates of violent crime and gang related crimes. The community was originally established under a de-facto policy of segregation that existed until the late 1950s. The term "Mississippi of the West" is commonly used in local historical references to the community
With the arrival of the Civil Rights Movement local NAACP efforts succeeded in removing forced segregation. The business district that had been in existence in West Las Vegas collapsed. By the 1980s the advent of organized criminal street gangs, the arrival of rock cocaine, and the concentration of large housing projects in the West Las Vegas community began a cycle of violence that eroded the formerly established community. Long time residents in the community who could not afford to move from the area were forced to live in fear on a daily basis. By the 1990s rival street gangs fought for control of the local narcotics trade.
In 1992 major civil disturbances occurred as a result of the Rodney King verdict in Los Angeles. The West Las Vegas community was the scene of three weeks of riots. By the end of the three weeks major portions of the community had been burned to the ground. All LVMPD community substations located in the numerous projects in West Las Vegas had been destroyed.
After the riots the department did establish the Bolden Area Command. The command was named in honor of the first African-American Deputy Chief Larry Bolden and serves West Las Vegas.
## VIOLENT CRIME ON THE RISE
Violent crime rates in the Bolden Area Command (BAC) were approaching double digit increases in 2006. The community as a whole lived on a daily basis with numerous shootings and gang related violent felonies. The effect on the community was that many perceived the area as a dangerous place both to visit and to live.
The LVMPD began efforts to strengthen ties with the community in West Las Vegas. This effort was to be coupled with the development of a Strategic Plan that would be implemented to improve the operations of the Command to provide police services to the community.
The long range goal was to reduce chronic crime problems in traditional crime areas contained in the community. The Safe Village Coalition began to actively work in 2007.
# THE SAFE VILLAGE STRATEGIC PLAN
In 2006 through 2007 a series of meetings occurred to bring together members of the community from all parts of West Las Vegas. The group then worked over several weeks to develop a Strategic Plan. Their efforts resulted in a comprehensive Safe Village Strategic Plan.
The Coalition used academic resources and knowledge of members to find information and research on the issue of violence. The research was used to identify the best practices. Those practices chosen by the Safe Village Coalition were:
- Implement Intelligence driven policing.
- identify crime hotspots through effective intelligence.
- Use operational concepts such as OODA and SARA to disrupt the activities of the criminal element in West Las Vegas.
- Produce long term reductions in crime by using focused efforts. Operations must be conducted briefly and intensively, moved among the several target areas, and resumed at unpredictable times before crime rates are allowed to rise to prior levels.
- Formulate operational efforts tailored to the problem being addressed. Tactics such as directed patrol, community contacts, intense field interviews, follow-up on investigative leads, and focused prosecution are all examples of methods that can be used.
- To reduce gun and gang related crimes, implement operations based both on geographic crime hotspots, as well as on identified violent offenders,
- Develop Partnerships with the community to educate and inform citizens and suspects of the consequences of committing violent crime, to decrease crime in hotspots.
Safe Village decided that the Mission of the Coalition is "To reduce violent crime and its impact by bringing a multifaceted approach that involves government, community groups, faith based groups, and law enforcement together."
Safe Village developed three goals that were then supported by multiple strategies.
Goal 1 Formation of Safe Village Coalition, identify impact communities and implement the Strategic Plan.
Goal 2. Reduce the number of violent crimes and murders reported in the William 5/6 districts of the BAC by $5 \%$ in comparison with 2006 rates.
Goal 3. Conduct community mobilization efforts in conjunction with coalition partners. Increase active neighborhood associations. Address chronic blight and criminal nuisance locations in the community.
## Results of the Effort
During 2007 Safe Village worked to implement the strategies to accomplish the goals that had been set. The results of the combined effort of the members of the Safe Village Coalition were a decrease in reported violent crime.
In 2005 there were 603 total violent crimes reported.
In 2006 there were 629 total violent crimes reported.
In 2007 there were 390 total violent crimes reported.
By 2008 the trend continued to show a decrease in illegal shootings, gun calls, assault with a deadly weapon using a firearm, and murder and attempt murder.
# Review of the Goals and Strategies of Safe Village that Resulted in the Reduction of Violent Crime in West Las Vegas
## Goal 1 - Formation of Safe Village Coalition and implement the Strategic Plan.
## Strategy - Form a Safe Village Coalition
The Safe Village Coalition was assembled by the LVMPD and includes key stakeholders who work in an effort to reduce violent crime in the West Las Vegas community. The coalition consists of faith based, community, and government agencies. They are:
Law Enforcement Agencies - Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, North Las Vegas Police Department, Clark County School Police Department, City of Las Vegas Marshals Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, FBI, Project Safe Neighborhoods, DEA.
Schools - University of Nevada at Las Vegas, Andre Agassi Preparatory School, West Preparatory School, Canyon Springs High School.
City of Las Vegas - City of Las Vegas Doolittle Center, Office of Councilman Lawrence Weekly, Las Vegas Housing Authority.
Clark County - Clark County Health District Outreach, Clark County Community Gang Task Force, University Medical Center.
Faith Based Groups - Victory Missionary Baptist Church, Evergreen Baptist Church, Captives Free Baptist, Community Interfaith Council, Dream Center Victory Missionary Baptist, Greater Sinai MRMI, Nevada Partners, Pleasant Grove, Greater Sinai Church, Dream Center, Pleasant Grove Baptist Church, Ministers Alliance.
Community Groups - Berkley Square Association, Whispering Timbers Community Association, Vegas Heights East and West Community Associations.
Media - Las Vegas Review Journal.
The assembled partners were then be broken into two working groups. The two groups are the Community Impact Group and the Offender Impact Group.
Community Impact Working Group -The goal of the community impact group is to reduce the impact of violent crime and gang related crime in the Safe Village impact neighborhoods. The group will work to address crime and disorder issues that impact the quality of life in those communities.
Violent Crime Working Group - This working group responds to and investigates murder, attempt murder, and assaults with deadly weapons in the community. The working group coordinates the investigative activities of the Homicide Detail, Violent Crime Detail, and the Gang investigative teams. The goal of the offender impact group is to focus on the small number of offenders who are responsible for disproportionate percentages of crime in the identified communities. Both traditional and non-traditional enforcement methods, coupled with intervention methods to assist families of offenders, will be used.
Strategy - Conduct an analysis of the youth violence in West Las Vegas, identify target neighborhoods, and develop specific plans for the problem (completed).
- Designate the impact of communities inside West Las Vegas and determine the scope and nature of the challenges facing the area.
- Use Intelligence driven policing methods by producing violent crime analysis. Identify current gang intervention and prevention programs, job skills, cultural programs and any other community and government efforts available in the community.
On a routine basis the LVMPD Fusion Center produces analytical reports that are then used by the Coalition to target various crime hotspots and other issues in the community. Various maps and intelligence reports are produced to assist in operations planning.
# Goal 2. Reduce the number of violent crimes and murders reported in the William 5/6 districts of the BAC by $15 \%$ in comparison with 2006 rates.
Strategy - Directly and repeatedly communicate the message about violence and its consequences to active gangs and gang members.
On a weekly basis conduct field visits at all three local high schools and middle schools to communicate with youth the consequences of violent criminal activity.
- The faith based community conducted outreach into identified communities to bring resources and messages to families and gang members.
- Notification was made to ail arrested offenders in the target area of the consequences of their continued criminal activity.
- A public education program was implemented in the impact area via printed media, radio, television and internet (i.e., you tube, my space).
- Outreach efforts at all schools, boys and girls clubs, and community centers in West Las Vegas were put in place.
Strategy - Respond to those gang members and gangs that do not get the message with a multifaceted operations plan and continue the pressure until the violence stops.
Offenders arrested for violent crime or weapons violations inside the Safe Village community were identified to the Clark County District Attorney for prosecution by the DA Gang unit.
- Partnered with the FBI, ATF, DEA, and any and all task forces to bring to bear resources on those offenders engaged in violent activity.
- When a violent crime occurs in the impact zone, ensure that Safe Village Teams respond to bring intervention and other community resources to bear to assist the community in addressing the violence.
Strategy - Conduct targeted operations to reduce violent crime in the Safe Village impact community. Implement inside the BAC a full time Safe Village Team that works in concert with the community to conduct prevention, intervention and enforcement operations. SVT is to be based on the concept of community based officers.
The Safe Village Team is composed of volunteer officers from the LVMPD. The officers are assigned on a full time basis to work inside the West Las Vegas community. Much like the traditional foot beat officer, SVT officers build relationships inside the community. They are in a sense the community police component of the overall Safe Village Initiative.
Strategy - BAC, in concert with Gang Crimes Bureau, to fully implement the Gang Response Officer Program within the Command by training an additional 15\% of officers assigned to the BAC.
The Department trained additional patrol officers as Gang Response Officers. These officers acted as a force multiplier for the full time gang enforcement officers. The Gang Crimes Bureau had in place a program to train patrol officers on how to recognize, address and document gang activity.
Strategy - BAC to conduct random and periodic operations in the impact zone such as curfew and traffic enforcement Research findings show that as little as 15 minutes spent by a beat officer in a crime hotspot and having each shift conduct the same 15 minute spot check has resulted in a marked reduction of crime in hotspots.
This strategy was implemented by Patrol Units from the Bolden Area Command, as well as the deployment of the Mobile Crime Saturation Team and the Gang Enforcement Teams.
Strategy - BAC, in concert with Project Safe Neighborhood, teams to reduce gun related crimes implemented by intense enforcement and prosecution of those offenders found in the Safe Village impact zone with illegal weapons.
The Department ensured that the Boiden Area Command conducted station level follow-up of weapons violations, illegal shootings, and violent crimes occurring in the impact zones.
Strategy - BAC, in concert with LVMPD Narcotics street teams, to target those locations within the impact area engaged in narcotics activity.
The street narcotics units were tasked with conducting targeted undercover buy operations on houses identified by the community as drug locations. Once search warrants were served, the City of Las Vegas took civil nuisance abatement actions against the owners of those homes.
Strategy - BAC, in concert with LVMPD Gang Crimes Bureau \& Robbery/Homicide VC/MC, to conduct follow-up investigations into all gang and other related shootings. Each unit shall provide liaison to the BAC to ensure coordination of efforts.
After each shooting incident a task force was put together within 24 hours to work on solving the crime. This task force approach, involving all facets of law enforcement, led to the solving of several homicides that would have gone unsolved in past years.
# Goal 3. Conduct community mobilization efforts in conjunction with coalition partners.
Strategy - Provide at risk youth referrals to community centers, jobs programming, and other programs via faith based and community organizations, and have intervention program in place at the Clark County Community Gang Task Force.
The faith based partners and other community partners used their resources to deploy gang intervention specialists and programs such as Operation Lasting Peace, in concert with the Safe Village Coalition. In addition, the already in existence Clark County Community Gang Task Force assisted by attending community responses, working with outreach workers, and working with the schools and community centers to assist in the effort to reach the youth.
Strategy - BAC, in concert with Project Safe Neighborhood, teams to reduce gun related crimes, Implemented by intense enforcement and prosecution of those offenders found in the Safe Village impact zone with illegal weapons.
Gang members found in possession of weapons in violation of law were identified for prosecution to the ATF. In addition, the ATF conducted foot patrols with LVMPD members in the area on a routine basis. This joint operational method sent a strong message to gang members of the consequences of illegal possession of a firearm.
Strategy - Direct and repeatedly communicate the message about violence and its consequences.
The Coalition began and continues aggressive outreach efforts in the community. The faith based community conducts neighborhood outreach efforts. One of the major efforts involves using the Every Fifteen Minutes model used for DWI education and modifying the presentation for gang violence.
A simulated gang drive-by shooting was staged at Canyon Springs High School. The students from the school saw the staged shooting, listened to the girlfriend of a student who was involved in gangs who had been killed, and listened to the stories of those who had escaped violence. The Las Vegas Review Journal and local television media had extensive coverage of the event.
Strategy - Develop and implement Safe Village community teams to respond to reported acts of violence in the impact area for follow-up and assistance to families and communities who are victims of violent crime.
Within 24 hours of a violent incident the faith based coalition members and other community members would hold a rally or march at the site of the violent crime to send a message that such violence was not acceptable. The ministers who made up the faith based component would respond to the local hospital or scene of the event to work with the family of the victims. In addition, University Medical Center provided access badges to the ministers to allow them to work with the families of the victims at the hospital. The ministers would also work with the families of murder victims during the grieving process and take steps to stop retaliatory shootings from occurring.
Strategy - Respond to those gang members and gangs that do not get the message with a multifaceted Operations Plan and continue the pressure until the violence stops.
Operations such as Project Safe Neighborhood were also accessed to target known violent offenders. The Gang Crimes Bureau identified the most violent gang offenders and put together investigations to prosecute them. The Safe Village protocol that was established brought together a working group each time a shooting where a victim was struck by gunfire or a murder occurred. The working group, composed of members of Homicide, Patrol, Gang Crimes, and all other Law enforcement partners, would meet within 24 hours of an incident. During the meetings intelligence was shared and investigative leads were identified and then tasked out for action. In addition, a Homicide Task Force was established to look at cases that had not resulted in arrests. Investigative resources were then directed towards solving those murders.
Strategy - Implement an Emergency Room Intervention and Victim Program in cooperation with the medical community, faith based and other community organizations. Train emergency room personnel in methods to identify gang involvement and provide them methods to refer gang involved youth and families to programs.
University Medical Center played a major part in educating emergency room personnel in the methods of responding to gang violence. Training programs were conducted by the LVMPD for UMC personnel.
Strategy - Increase the effectiveness of neighborhood community associations in the impact areas in concert with the City of Las Vegas, and identify and address chronic nuisance locations. Improve scenic blight issues in identified community impact areas.
Working with the City of Las Vegas the LVMPD works in concert to address scenic blight issues and improve the performance of the neighborhood organizations in the West Las Vegas community.
# CONCLUSION
The Safe Village Initiative allowed the LVMPD to bring together a broad coalition of the community to put in place a Strategic Plan that once executed, resulted in substantial decreases in violent firearms and gang related crime in West Las Vegas.
The ultimate goal of all the members of Safe Village was to make the community safe for young children to play in the neighborhood without the threat of being killed in a shooting. The memory of 13 year old Greg Adams and the four other innocent victims of gang violence in 2006 were used as a positive catalyst for change.
# West Las Vegas gun crimes drop, Safe Village says
## Community group works to reduce violence
By SCOTT SPJUT REVIEW-JOURNAL
A West Las Vegas community group working to reduce gun violence in the neighborhood north of downtown has seen a significant decline in such incidents, the group said.
Safe Village reported 205 gun-related crimes between February and August 2007 in the area generally bordered by Martin Luther King Boulevard on the west, Carey Avenue on the north, Interstate 15 on the east and U.S. Highway 95 on the south. In the same period of 2006, there were 363 such crimes in the area.
The number of gunshot-related admissions to University Medical Center from the area dropped from 23 in 2006 to 17 in 2007 during those same months.
"We're not the police, but we're concerned about what's happening in the community," said William Sousa, an assistant professor in UNLV's Department of Criminal Justice. "The program addresses issues of violence, but goes about it in different ways."
Sousa has worked on similar efforts in other parts of the country and is tracking the effectiveness of the Safe Village program, which was launched in February 2007.
Safe Village coordinates with law enforcement, protests violent incidents in the area by handing out fliers, organizing rallies and working with those convicted of violent crimes. Members spend weekends going door to door to get input on what efforts can be taken to stop violence.
They also work with other programs to encourage violent criminals and victims of violent crime to get involved in mentoring and helping prevent future violence.
"Our previous experience has demonstrated that revenge is on the minds of people who have been victimized," Sousa said.
Metropolitan Police Department officers recognize the positive influence Safe Village has had in the area known as West Las Vegas, the city's historic black neighborhood.
"When I worked this area 10 years ago, it was very violent, very mean and high crime," said Sgt. Dan Newberry, who has been an officer for nearly 13 years. "Now people are willing to talk to us. We've fostered a lot of trust."
And while the number of gun-related crimes has gone down, the focus of Safe Village goes beyond that, members said. "The issue here is changing the norm of the thinking that violence is acceptable," said David Osman, who is involved in Safe Village. "You cannot change the norm by just leaving it alone."
Osman is the president and founder of Nevada Youth Alliance and co-chairman of the Southern Nevada Community Gang Task Force. They hope to expand their work to other parts of Las Vegas.
"We're making sure we have good outcomes," he said. "And we're looking to broaden across the city."
A "community celebration" of the program, its success and its future, will take place Monday at 6 p.m. at the Victory Missionary Baptist Church, 500 W. Monroe Ave.
Contact reporter Scott Spjut at sspjut@reviewjournal.com or 702 383-0279.
| Save Village Wiz Wiz Target Houses | | | | | | | | | | | |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Address | 19 | 219 North | Adams Crestel | 110 Sural | Bus 6410 | Bus 64 | 120 04 | | Street | | |
| 1101 W Washington | W1 | 1/17/2007 | Yes | | | | | | | | |
| 1102 Edensville | W1 | 1/17/2007 | Yes | | | | | | | | |
| 1103 Edensville | W1 | 1/17/2007 | Yes | | | | | | | | |
| 1171 Water | W1 | 1/17/2007 | Yes | | | | | | | | |
| 1202 Beran 4223 | W2 | 1/17/2007 | Yes | | | | | | | | |
| 100 Hart | W1 | 1/17/2007 | Yes | | | | | | | | |
| 103 Hart | W1 | 1/17/2007 | Yes | | | | | | | | |
| 130 Howell | W1 | 1/17/2007 | Yes | | | | | | | | |
| 109 Howell | W1 | 1/17/2007 | Yes | | | | | | | | |
| 100 McKee | W1 | 1/17/2007 | Yes | | | | | | | | |
| 100 W Vintage 40342 | W1 | 1/17/2007 | Yes | | | | | | | | |
| 917 Sheehan | W2 | 1/17/2007 | Yes | | | | | | | | |
| 100 Harrison | W1 | 1/17/2007 | Yes | | | | | | | | |
| 9112 Westfifarra 8906 | W1 | 1/17/2007 | Yes | | | | | | | | |
| 9741 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 9741 | | | | | | | | | | | |
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Press Release for outreach effort
"OPERATION LASTING PEACE" Launched in West Last Vegas
On Wednesday, January $31^{\text {st }}$ at 4:30 pm, Pastor Robert E. Fowler of Victory Missionary Baptist Church is calling for an end to the death and destruction of senseless violence in West Las Vegas. With violence statistics among the highest in the entire valley, Pastor Fowler and over 100 church members, community members, and volunteers will launch "Operation Lasting Peace" as the first step to ending local violence.
A few weeks ago, Pastor Robert E. Fowler called upon the Southern Nevada Community Gang Task Force to implement "Operation Lasting Peace" in much the same way that he called on them in 2004. This time Pastor Fowler pointed out one big exception, "Operation Lasting Peace" will be a year round initiative for West Las Vegas; instead of a valley wide summer initiative. He announced that Operation Lasting Peace will join with the LV.M.P.D. Sheriff Gillespie's new "Safe Village" initiative which is based on the nationally successful Ceasefire Model.
The Victory Missionary Baptist Church and Southern Nevada Community Gang Task Force are making history by being the first "Community Based Initiative" to join Sheriffs Safe Village initiative which is being implemented by Bolden Area Command. This new initiative is based on the nationally successful Ceasefire model which has reduced violence (shootings \& stabbings) by as much as $50 \%$ in many cities. The key to the success of this initiative is the Community Mobilization component. It utilizes churches and community agencies to empower residents to eliminate violence from their communities. Victory Missionary Baptist Church and Southern Nevada Community Gang Task Force will use their existing partnership, "Operation Lasting Peace" to expand community mobilization efforts for Safe Village.
A brief history of Operation Lasting Peace started in 2004, the Southern Nevada Community Gang Task Force had successfully launched the "Operation Lasting Peace" initiative as part of their Safe Summer project. The task force's stakeholder members, Commissioner AtkinsonGates, Pastor Robert E. Fowler, Sheriff Bill Young and Councilman Weekly led the task force in implementing the initiative. It resulted in decreases in gang homicides for the summer of 2004. Again, the summers of 2005 and 2006 saw similar decreases in homicides and shootings. This success was directly attributed to the efforts of community agencies and churches who participated in the task force's "Community Mobilization" efforts. Every summer, gang prevention and gang intervention programs extended their hours of operation and share resources so that youth were engaged in positive activities during high crime hours. These efforts ensured that youth throughout Southern Nevada were diverted away from crime and toward safe places to socialize, play sports and participate in educational activities ...thus, reducing the likelihood of violent crime occurring.
# Event puts gang violence on display Students take pan in simulation
By AHTONIO PLANAS
REVIEW-JOURNAL
Can um Springs High School junior Devonte Christophers seemingly lifeless body lay on a stretcher, a white sheet drapes ever him as his bloodcovered arms spread out from Senseth the sheets and onto He pavement
Across the street his mother, Tammy Jemigan, could be seen crying. Her son, an honor student wro was entertaining offers from by League schools to playfoolStell, had just died in a gang-related Dive-Ey shooting.
Christopher was HD dead, he was acting.
Sulfor-Jemigan, the simulation was too much H site are were re at.
"0was so surreel! Jemigan said :1 really left the Iwaswipenlensing the loss of my son. As a mother, I never want to endure anything like that"
Christopher KS taking part Monday in a large-scale simulation called SAVE Students Against Violence Everyday, that was put on Sy local law enforcement and emergency officials. The event took place across the street from Canyon Springs, where the school's juniors and seniors were shown the consequences of violence.
North Las Vegas and Las Vegas police took part and officials with the coroners office andNorth Las Vegas and Las Vegas fire departments also collaborated.
The scenario displaced Monday Began with five Canyon Springs students sitting in a Bullet-riddled minivan. The acerase continued when a disoriented girl called 911 -broadcast overs bullspestker - to tell the operator that a student inside the van was shot in the head andthat police needed to hurry to the scene.
Police and rescue personnel QlikHs arrived on the scene. During the exercise, police escorted three "uninjured" students out of the car. The diver was hit by a bulletin the chest in the scenario. He was taken to Ste hospital while Christopher was put in a Doly bag and driven away from the crime scene in a hearse. ALas Vegas police helicopter surveyed the scene by err.
Students had different react ons to the exercise.
Jill Eerman, a junior, said the simulation was 'shochingly real.'
"Gang violence happens every day. Drive-tas happen even day." Eerman said. "Students are dying for stupid reasons."
Eerman and other students said gangs are present at Canyon Springs. The school's principal, Ronan Mathew, acknowledged as much. He said that all Las Vegas high schools have gangs.
"It would to naive to saythey don't," Mathew said.
Mathew and police officials said Canyon Springs was a good location for the simulation because of recent criminal activity at the school. During the past two months, three loaded guns have been confiscated there.
But Mathew said too school just west of interstate 15 on East Alexander Road and North Fifth Street, is not more prone to violence man other schools.
Elliot Turner, a junior at Canyon Springs, said the simulation was intended to 'scare people straight'Eut he said the exercise did not have that effect on him.
"It didn't look real to me. Turner said, I've seen worse."
West Las Vegas Murders
# W5 & 6 JAN 2005 - MAR 2007 413 CFS (ASSAULT/BATTERY WITH A GUN)
## W5 & 6 JAN 2005 - MAR 2007 415A CFS (ASSAULT/BATTERY WITH A GUN)
A-7
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