Las Vegas crime numbers decline

Clark County Sheriff Doug Gillespie knows the major standard used to judge police agency effectiveness: crime stats.

Gillespie proudly declared Tuesday during a news conference that Las Vegas police in 2011 reduced crime in five major categories: homicides, robberies, auto thefts, traffic fatalities and sexual assaults.

The decline in those categories at times is steep when looking at the past five years -- auto thefts have dropped 66 percent since 2006 while traffic fatalities have dropped 57 percent in the same time period.

"We have improved the quality of life here in Southern Nevada," Gillespie said.

He added the reduction in crime is following the national trend.

But Gillespie also said the fight against criminals has become increasingly difficult because of reduced department budgets in recent years.

Gillespie thanked police chiefs from other local agencies for helping his department combat crime. He also was thankful to the public for cooperating with officers.

"You're our eyes. You're our ears. You're willing participants in very difficult times that occur in your lives."

Of the crime categories highlighted, homicides were down more than 25 percent in one year, dropping to 86 in 2011 compared with 116 in 2010. Gillespie said last year's 86 slayings were the lowest number since 1990.

Several lieutenants at the news conference spoke about reductions in crime in the areas they supervise.

Homicide Lt. Ray Steiber said the department has been proactive and engaged with the community, which has helped reduce slayings.

In 2009, the department began the Domestic Violence Lethality Assessment Program. The goal was to identify domestic violence victims at risk of repeated or fatal beatings and get them professional help.

Officers who respond to domestic violence calls give victims a survey with 11 questions.

Some of the questions are: Has the aggressor ever used a weapon? Does he or she spy on you or leave threatening messages? Does he or she have a gun?

The answers help identify those at high risk. Police then urge the individuals to contact a local domestic violence advocacy group for help.

People who were directly affected by serious crime also were invited to the news conference.

Richard Portaro's 22-year-old son, Michael Portaro, was slain last year on March 30. Investigators charged the suspect nearly three months later.

Richard Portaro said police were tirelessly diligent. He remembered one detective calling him at 2 a.m. to tell him they had a lead.

Portaro said the fact that 30 fewer people died in slayings in 2011 compared with the previous year meant, "There are 30 families who don't have to go through what I went through."

There have been four slayings in 2012 as of Tuesday afternoon.

ROBBERIES REDUCED 20 PERCENT

Robberies were down 20 percent in 2011 compared with 2010.

Lt. Ron Fox couldn't point to one strategy that helped decrease robberies. He said many factors were in play.

Generally investigators are using the latest technology, and officers and detectives collaborate a lot to thwart burglaries, he said.

Fox added that many officers, including himself, are invested in the community, which makes a difference.

"I want to be proud of the fact that Las Vegas is a safe place to raise a family and have a life."

While Las Vegas police have seen annual drops in most crime categories since 2006, sexual assaults have, at times, increased.

Gillespie acknowledged as much.

But the raw numbers for sexual assaults haven't drastically increased over the past five years either.

William Sousa, a criminal justice professor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, told the Review-Journal last year that sexual assaults are notoriously difficult to prevent. He said most of the investigative work is reactive instead of preventive.

TRAFFIC FATALITIES AT FIVE-YEAR LOW

Traffic fatalities also are on a downward trend.

Lt. Chris Ankeny with the department's Traffic Bureau pointed to a few reasons why the 70 vehicle-related deaths in 2011 represent a five-year low. Traffic fatalities dropped more than 15 percent in 2011 over the previous year.

Ankeny said there are more officers on the road patrolling and giving out tickets. He also said that DUI checkpoints on holidays and efforts to have DUI checkpoints in all eight command areas throughout the valley have been big deterrents. The checkpoints rotate monthly from one area command to another.

But there were many pedestrians who died after being struck by a vehicle in Las Vegas. In November, the agency had 17 pedestrian-related fatalities, compared with 20 in 2010.

The total number of pedestrian fatalities for the Metropolitan Police Department in 2011 was not released Tuesday.

Henderson and North Las Vegas police also had some high-profile pedestrian-related fatalities late last year.

Ankeny said he is proud of the reduction in car-related deaths but cautioned against complacency.

"We still have work to do," Ankeny said. "One fatal accident is one too many."

Contact reporter Antonio Planas at aplanas@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4638.

Trending topics:

• Antonio Planas
• crime
• Las Vegas
• police
• Doug Gillespie

Comments

Note: Comments made by reporters and editors of the Las Vegas Review-Journal are presented with a yellow background.

1. RightWingExtremist Feb. 8, 2012 | 8:15 p.m. Report Abuse

   They don't know exactly what was involved in the reduction of crime? Try the fact that more and more private citizens are now armed and many have a CCW. The criminals are realizing that their possible victim just might be armed and can fight back.....

2. 1Patriot Feb. 8, 2012 | 3:12 p.m. Report Abuse

   It is common for police leaders to take credit when crime is down and to point fingers when crime is up. Las Vegas needs a police department that focuses on quality of service-not the take it or leave it mentality.
   
   We need to demand more from OUR police and this begins with accurate information provided by the police department, reported to our citizens, and then scrutinized to see how much of it is BS.

3. divide and conquer Feb. 8, 2012 | 3:04 p.m. Report Abuse

   Gosh......................... Crime rate is down............ With less police in the field 'no less'............................ How can that be.......???????????????.. What is with the RJ these days................................. They must be comparing cities like NY vs LV or Chic. Vs LV................ The RJ just needs to fill up space and do so with nonsense these days............ Just another drop in the integrity level of the once great U.S. of A... I know this for a fact................. Started with Bush, and Obach is finishing us off............................................................

4. Raoul.N.Stone Feb. 8, 2012 | 2:19 p.m. Report Abuse

   Are burglaries down, or is it only robberies which are down? There has been an epidenic of burglaries in Summerlin. I'd be surprised if there has been a decline in the numbers.

5. Mufon Feb. 8, 2012 | 1:18 p.m. Report Abuse

   Take heart though, guys, keep waging war on the police, those stats will get back to nice, high levels, giving you more to complain about.

6. Mufon Feb. 8, 2012 | 1:16 p.m. Report Abuse

   Max, my thougths and misfits: Okay, put your money where your mouth is. How many suspects have been killed by the police for spitting on the sidewalk, how many crimes are committed by Metro, and how many homicides, traffic fatalities and sexual assaults are committed by officers? You must have facts to back those courageous posts, let's see the numbers.
   
   *crickets*

7. misfits Feb. 8, 2012 | 11:47 a.m. Report Abuse

   people are afraid to even spit on a sidewalk for fear metro would murder them

8. my thoughts Feb. 8, 2012 | 10:30 a.m. Report Abuse

   One question to Sheriff Gillespie. How can you attend Sunday Serices at ICLV knowing that most of the crimes committed are by your own.

9. Moist & Meaty Feb. 8, 2012 | 9:05 a.m. Report Abuse

   Ahh, Google:
   
   County crime rate on a downward path
   KeysNet - 43 minutes ago
   
   
   Vacaville's crime rate decreases
   TheReporter.com - 7 hours ago
   
   Crime rate decreases in 2011
   Lewisville Leader - 19 hours ago
   
   
   Visalia, Tulare crime rates dropped in 2011
   Visalia Times-Delta - 1 day ago
   
   Modesto's crime rate dropped in 2011
   Modesto Bee - 1 day ago
   
   Lafayette's crime rate falls
   KATC Lafayette News - 4 days ago
   
   Violent crimes plummet again in Randolph
   The Patriot Ledger - 2 days ago
   
   Cops: Key West crime down 18 percent from 2011
   KeysNet - 5 hours ago
   
   Crime rate drops locally
   Glendale News Press - Jan 29, 2012

10. JapaneseLady Feb. 8, 2012 | 8:54 a.m. Report Abuse

    Crime stat: When you want to compare annual rate change of any things, we need to have data on each subject's annual data. Then from these data, we compute annual change into percentage. We just blindly believe percentage given by whoever want us to believe. I am sure we have reduced crime occurrence in Clark County but I wish Sheriff Gillespie would release annual data. Then using Probability, we can forecast future crime rate. This County is the capitol of gambling. If data are not given, many people will not believe it. Sheriff G., you seem to be better job now and so I wish you don't withhold important data or someone is hiding from you?

Read All Comments