LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — It’s the season of giving, and on Tuesday morning, Las Vegas Metro police were out on a different type of patrol.
Instead of responding to calls, officers were packaging meals.
“It’s everything from mashed potatoes, green beans, mac and cheese, cornbread, all of the sides, and then a frozen turkey,” Karen Marben, Executive Director for Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Foundation, said.
All the items are going to 500 families throughout the valley, thanks to community partners like Naqvi Injury Law.
“Some of these people have lost some of their benefits due to the government shutdown and have been struggling. It’s a very difficult time of year for a lot of people; prices have risen,” said Farhan Naqvi, owner of Naqvi Injury Law, said. “Where there’s a need, we will certainly fulfill.”
Everything started at Metro headquarters, where officers and community volunteers filled the bags. Then, they fanned out across the valley, hand-delivering Thanksgiving meals to families who need a little extra help this holiday season, including those at Hampton Apartments in the southeast valley.
Marla Lee, a mom of 5, says the delivery came just in time.
“We’ll all be here enjoying this meal,” Lee said.“It’s very nice considering how hard it can be this time of year, trying to piece everything together for the holidays… It means a lot to be able to get this.”
Officers who serve this community identified 20 families in the neighborhood who could use the extra support. It’s just one part of Captain Jeff Clark’s Safe Village Initiative, a prevention-first approach that puts resources and relationships on the front line.
“If people are hungry, they’re probably going to be committing crimes, so we need to be out and help them,” Clark, who oversees Metro’s Southeast Area Command, said.
For Clark, it’s more than delivering meals; it’s community policing built on partnership and protection.
“This particular complex had a lot of crime; it had a lot of issues,” Clark said. “This doesn’t even show on our crime radar anymore because we’re making this a safer place for people to live.”
The Thanksgiving Meals initiative is part of the LVMPD Foundation’s holiday gift and give campaign. The foundation also provides funds for programs like Santa Cop and Shop with a Cop, where officers take nearly 300 children on a one-on-one holiday shopping and mentoring experience.