Las Vegas police get grant to cut impaired driving crashes

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department received some grants from the state that will go toward efforts to reduce crashes caused by impaired and reckless drivers.

The funding will be good through Sept. 30, 2025, and will allow Metro to team up with other jurisdictions for several Joining Forces events over the next year aimed at catching impaired drivers.

“Impaired driving fatalities have consistently been the most common cause of motor vehicle
collisions resulting in injuries and death in Nevada,” Metro said in a news release on the funding.

Metro said the funding will allow them to send additional officers with mobile evidentiary testing systems as well as a phlebotomist to areas where police patrol for impaired drivers. Those additional officers can do testing and transport offenders more quickly while freeing up officers at the scene to return to their duties.

Crime Scene Analysts will be trained to draw blood so evidence can be collected quickly from those arrested for DUI which can be helpful for a successful prosecution.

Metro said the grant money will also support campaigns to stop reckless drivers and promote pedestrian safety.

Already in 2024, there have been 112 traffic-related fatalities in Metro’s jurisdiction.

The grants were provided by the Nevada Department of Public Safety and Office of Traffic Safety.

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