North Nellis Coalition cleans up local community

Photo By Master Sgt. Michael Charles | Officer David Corbin, Las Vegas Metro Police Department policeman, prepares to greet visitors next to his motorcycle June 15, 2013, during a North Nellis Coalition community event in North Las Vegas, Nev. The North Nellis Coalition brought members of the community together to promote crime prevention. Local businesses, airmen from various units on Nellis AFB and the Las Vegas Metro Police Department held contests for children and conducted demonstrations at the event. The North Nellis Coalition is a group made up of members from the 99th Security Forces Squadron, the LVMPD and dozens of businesses surrounding Nellis AFB whose purpose is to work together to make the North Las Vegas community safer. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Michael Charles)  

NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, NV, UNITED STATES

06.19.2013

Story by Airman 1st Class Timothy Young 

Nellis Air Force Base

NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. - The North Nellis Coalition is working toward making the area around the base safer for airmen to shop and live.

The North Nellis Coalition is an a group made up of members from the 99th Security Forces Squadron, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and dozens of businesses surrounding Nellis AFB.

"Right now airmen are driving 10 to 15 minutes away from base to live and shop because they don't feel safe outside the gate," said Brady Warren, 99th SFS criminal intelligence analyst. "The reason for that is because right outside of the gate has one of the highest crime rates in this whole city."

According to Maj. Richard Martin 99th SFS commander, the NNC hopes to alleviate those concerns.

"The NNC is one way we can work to provide a better environment for our airmen to shop and live off base," Martin said. "We are part of the NNC because we want to make things safe for everyone in our own neighborhood."

In the past, each business was responsible for cleaning up and attempting to police the criminal activity in their business' surrounding area. The NNC plans to try to unify their efforts into a single consolidated push so people involved in illegal activity aren't facing a single agency but the community as a whole.

According to Warren, many of the officers and business owners in the NNC live in the communities they are trying to improve.

"We want people to know that we don't just show up when things are bad, we participate in community events as well," said Luke Jancsek, a Metro all hazards multi-agency operations and response detective. "We are part of the community, and we live here too."

Warren said he is hopeful that with time the NNC will continue to grow the community will slowly becomes a better place to live and shop in.

"It's going to take time," Warren said. "Not everything is going to be good by tomorrow."

• Date Taken: 06.19.2013
• Date Posted: 06.20.2013 15:46
• Story ID: 108967
• Location: NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, NV, US