Metro wants you to share responsibility of 128 Vegas homicides in ‘14
Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman and Sheriff Joe Lombardo urged community members Saturday to share with local law enforcement the responsibility for 128 valley homicides in 2014.
But, “we don’t want you to go out and grab your gun and take care of justice,” Sheriff Joe Lombardo said on a stage about 50 yards away from Gun Garage’s booth at Metro’s sparsely attended inaugural “Take Back the City” event.
The audience of police officers at Cashman Center chuckled at the notion of vigilantism while the sheriff continued, citing the terrific increase in violent crimes in 2014.
“We want you to take back your city and take responsibility for those 128 homicides,” he said. “Because you’re going to be the answer, we’re going to help with that answer.”
“Does that sound fair?”
According to Metro’s annual report, Las Vegas saw a 20 percent increase in homicides, a 10 percent increase in robberies and a 7 percent increase in assaults with a deadly weapon from 2013 to 2014.
“We need you guys out there to help us be the eyes and ears. If you see something, say something,” the sheriff said.
Every neighborhood should be doing what it can for itself, Goodman said
“It’s up to us to teach our children what safety is about,” she added, stressing the importance of teaching youths to trust law enforcement.
Lilian Cox, owner of Pitfit Street Training in Las Vegas, encourages disadvantaged youths to defend themselves by teaching them about fitness and self-confidence.
“If they ever have to throw down, they’re going to have the upper hand,” Cox said of kids who train with her intense nutrition and exercise program.
It’s not all about physical strength, though. “We’re social workers at heart,” Cox said of her three-person team made up of herself, her partner, Liz D’ercole,and her daughter, Rita Gomez.
The company’s motto: “We believe that the parallels between consistently pushing through our tough workouts and pushing through difficult life circumstances provide a template for success across all areas of life.”
Outside of the event center, the Clark County Fire Department approached the neighborhood “take back” idea by teaching kids about fire prevention in their mock house, designed to show potential fire hazards.
In the kitchen of the makeshift home, Fire Inspector Steve Dieter asked “before we start cooking, is there anything unsafe?”
After pointing out the dangers of leaving items such as oven mitts and paper towels near the stove, Dieter explained how essential it is for each family to have its own fire escape plan, saying “there are no fire deaths in schools,” because of monthly drills and necessary preparedness.
Speaking in favor of the “More Cops” initiative that would raise Clark County’s sales tax to aid Metro’s need for officers that was tabled in November 2014, Goodman said, “I don’t care whether you live in Boulder City, North Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Henderson or Mesquite. Every one of your city councils voted unanimously in resolution for more cops.”
Calling for law enforcement’s support, Goodman described valley officers as “the best in the world.”
Every day when they prepare themselves for duty, “they don’t know if they’re going to be coming back home,” Goodman said.
“Keep screaming for more cops,” she said enthusiastically to the crowd who was surrounded by signs that read “every life matters,” “raise kind kids,” “this is your home town” and “cherish your neighborhood.”
Citing the rate of homicides, Sheriff Lombardo said to the onlookers, “you’re not going to tolerate that type of crime.”
A cellphone photo frenzy closed the short appearance as the sheriff asked all Metro police officers in the building to come to the stage for a “photo opportunity.”
“I just asked the sheriff if I could stay here for the photograph,” Goodman said after having spent the previous 15 minutes posing for selfies with attendees and a Tina Turner impersonator. Well, it is election season.
Contact Kimberly De La Cruz at kdelacruz@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0381. Find her on Twitter: @KimberlyinLV.
