Las Vegas police officer receives award from US attorney general

A Las Vegas police officer was recognized Tuesday as one of 19 recipients of the Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service in Policing.

Metropolitan Police Department officer Phalon McFate received the award at a ceremony in Washington, D.C., from U.S. Attorney General William Barr. The 19 recipients were chosen from a pool of 414 nominees, the Department of Justice said.

Barr said he was honored to present the award and honor police officers from the state, local and tribal levels across the country, who he said exemplify “a special kind of bravery.”

“You put your life and well-being on the line to protect your communities, and your families spend anxious nights, night after night, so the rest of us can sleep in peace,” Barr said. “That job has always been a difficult job but … there is no time where it is more difficult than today.”

Officer McFate was one of six officers recognized for their innovations in community policing. McFate is credited with developing Project Daybreak in 2017, which focuses on identifying and addressing the spots in downtown Las Vegas neighborhoods that are most prone to violent crime, the DOJ said. Since the project started, the department said, violent crime has decreased by 50 percent in the target areas.

“Officer McPhate was able to create transparency and build trust in neighborhoods where these previously did not exist,” the DOJ said. “The success of Project Daybreak is a direct result of Officer McFate’s passion and commitment to her community.”

Contact Alexis Egeland at aegeland@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0335. Follow @alexis_egeland on Twitter.