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Reasons for new Las Vegas police officers not because of Raiders

Posted at 6:29 AM, Apr 27, 2017
and last updated 2017-04-27 14:52:03-04

The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department needs police officers.

In fact, they are hoping to hire several hundred over the next 2 years.

If you have been paying attention, you have probably seen their billboards all over the valley. Even on the Las Vegas Strip.

Some people believe that more officers are being hired because of the expected increase of visitors when the Oakland Raiders move to town.

But LVMPD says that is not true and that the new officers are for the community. They expected to hire new officers whether or not the Raiders made their move to the valley.

"With more officers, we can address the crime issues that are happening here in the valley," says Sgt. Hernandez, the recruiting officer with Metro Police Department.  

The misconception may be because the funding for the new officers was approved at the same time that the stadium tax was approved.

The new officers are being funded through a slight increase in countywide sales tax. The new stadium is being funded by an increase in hotel room tax.

"Now with the new funding, we're able to start hiring officers," says Sgt. Hernandez.  

The sales tax increase started this month.  

Metro went right to work with several different recruiting strategies, including massive billboards on the strip.  Most of the applicants are local, but officials say by advertising on the strip, it could help bring in some much needed diversity to the department. 

"For us, it's an opportunity to reach out to more diverse groups, to get different perspectives," says Sgt. Hernandez.  "It's a chance to reach people who wouldn't normally hear about us."