Safety Briefs

Area firefighters contain massive blaze

The City of North Las Vegas Fire Department responded to 333 W. Gowan St. for a fire reported at 6:42 p.m., June 16.

The fire was identified by staff in the facility and numerous other eyewitnesses. Upon arrival of the first units at 6:46 p.m., firefighters immediately called for a second alarm because they identified 50-foot flames and enormous amounts of dark black smoke in the yard of the Republic Services Recycling Plant. Witnesses said they could see the smoke from as far away as Henderson.

Firefighters made contact with employees who identified large bundles of plastic as some of the items that were involved in the fire. The business was evacuated before the arrival of the fire department. The North Las Vegas and City of Las Vegas fire departments combined forces to contain the fire to the area involved, and there was no extension to the other buildings on the property.

Firefighters were able to knock down the blaze within 25 minutes. There were no injuries to faculty, bystanders, or firefighters to report. The fire caused extensive damage to large bundles of plastic as well as mechanical equipment and a streetlight. This incident required 13 units and 45 firefighters to contain and prevent any extension to other properties. The fire was determined to be caused by improper disposal of smoking material and deemed to be accidental. The damage estimates are in excess of $2 million dollars.

Robbery/Kidnapping Suspects Sought

Detectives need help locating suspects in a recent robbery/kidnapping. At roughly noon on May 25, a mother and daughter were kidnapped from the WalMart parking lot at 3950 W. Lake Mead Blvd. Two men forced the victim to drive to Wells Fargo Bank at 801 N. Rancho Drive. Once there, the victim was forced to withdraw money, which was taken by the suspects. The suspects spoke Spanish.

Suspect No. 1 was described as a Hispanic man, between 50 and 60 years of age, black hair, brown eyes, 5 feet in height, about 115 pounds, thin build, with a light complexion. He was last seen wearing a brown plaid shirt.

Suspect No. 2 was described as a Hispanic man, between 30 and 35 years of age, 6 feet in height, about 160-plus pounds, medium build, with a light complexion. He was last seen wearing a black beret, reading or prescribed glasses, and wearing a plaid shirt.

Anyone with information is urged to call the North Las Vegas Police Department at 633-9111 or, to remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at 385-5555. Tips leading to an arrest or an indictment called into Crime Stoppers may result in a cash reward. For more information, contact the public communications office of the North Las Vegas Police Department, 1301 E. Lake Mead Blvd.

North Las Vegas Police Department office hours change

Effective June 13, the lobby hours for both North Las Vegas Police Departments -- the south command at 1301 E. Lake Mead Blvd. and the north command at 3755 W. Washburn Ave. -- changed to match those of City Hall.

Residents will be able to file station reports from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday only. Residents typically file station reports for non-emergency incidents including, but not limited to: burglary, destruction of private property, theft, harassing phone calls, injury to their vehicle, and lost/missing property. In order to reduce wait time, residents are encouraged to utilize the ePolice Reporting system available online at cityofnorthlasvegas.com. Response to emergency calls for service by uniformed police officers remains unaffected.

NLVPD Offers Gang Education
Summer Camp through friday

The North Las Vegas Police Department has scheduled a weeklong Gang Resistance Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.) summer camp from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. through Friday at the Community Services Division, located at 3425 W. Craig Road.

Lessons taught throughout the week include: establishing positive relationships, improving communication skills, etiquette, goal setting, conflict resolution, juvenile law, gangs and the importance of staying healthy through diet and exercise. Parents interested in enrolling their child for this program should contact the North Las Vegas Police Department at 633-1970 or enroll in person at the Community Services Division. Participants are required to be 10-14 years old; must submit a signed authorization and medical release; and must commit to the full week. There is no charge to participants, who are selected on a first-come, first-served basis. The G.R.E.A.T. program is grant funded by the Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance, and Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Agency.

Law enforcement veteran to oversee security for Clark County courts

Robert Sean Bennett, a longtime federal law enforcement official, has been selected as the new court security director to oversee security for Clark County courts.

The facilities where Bennett will lead security include the Clark County Regional Justice Center and Clark County Family Court.

Bennett worked in the Federal Bureau of Investigation for more than 24 years. His leadership and administrative experience include serving as a supervisory special agent of the Las Vegas division drug/gang squad and a SWAT team leader.

His work history also includes joint investigations in collaboration with all Las Vegas-area law enforcement agencies, counterterrorism and criminal investigations.

As a captain in the U.S. Marines, he led as many as 250 Marines and was decorated while serving as a commanding officer of a detachment. He has a bachelor of science degree in business administration and management from the State University of New York at Brockport.

Given recent incidents of violence locally and around the nation, courts and other public facilities continue to step up security, county officials said.

County officials said Clark County's courts are among the busiest in the nation, averaging 5,000 to 8,000 visitors a day at the Regional Justice Center alone.

For more information, visit clarkcountycourts.us.

report Road incidents by calling nevada department of transportation

Motorists who notice incidents along state roads can dial 647 to notify the Nevada Transportation Department.

Incidents can include drunken drivers, traffic crashes, stranded motorists or suspicious activity.

An average of 300 deaths occur annually on Nevada roads, department officials said.

For additional driving tips and other further information, visit nevadadot.com or call 775-888-7115.