Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Sheriff Joe Lombardo says violent crime has leveled off in Clark County.
During a press conference Wednesday, Lombardo said there was a 50 percent decrease in violent crimes since April and a 6 percent drop in property crimes since last year.
During the past 10 weeks, neighborhood engagement teams made 638 arrests and seized 85 guns while targeting gang and drug activity.
However, a battle over funding could put their future in jeopardy.
Clark County has pulled a commitment to give LVMPD an additional $1 million to permanently hire new officers since the city of Las Vegas has not committed matching funds.
This is all tied to the $1 million Lombardo requested to fund officer overtime.
The city agreed to pay its portion, $440,000, but the county countered, saying it wanted to give LVMPD $1 million to put more officers on the street versus funding overtime -- only if the city matched the money.
So far, the city cannot commit so the county pulled the money.
But Lombardo is confident he will get the money to keep the community safe.
"I anticipate that we will be able to through the city and county receive additional funding to hire police officers in the future," he said. "It is just a matter of logistics."
LVMPD expects the funding discussion to resurface in the spring.
Another effort includes Lombardo working with the Los Angeles County sheriff, who identified nearly two dozen California fugitives believed to be living in Las Vegas and led to 19 arrests.
