Nevada Department of Public Safety

Drunk drivers will be cited and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, Nevada Highway Patrol and statewide law enforcement warn.

This Labor Day weekend, law enforcement will be out in full force in Northern Nevada, patrolling the roads for impaired drivers. With the state’s Zero Fatalities goal in mind, drivers should plan ahead and designate a sober driver if their weekend plans involve alcohol.

The Carson City Sheriff’s Office invites the general public and press to a conference on Thursday that will address accidents and fatalities on Highway 50.

Former Nevada Capitol Police Chief Tom Navin is suing the Nevada Department of Public Safety, claiming he was wrongfully terminated for failing a physical.

The Nevada Department of Public Safety announced it has put in place additional safety efforts and reminds the public to alert law enforcement of any suspicious activity.

In a news release issued late this afternoon, DPS said law enforcement agencies statewide take all direct and indirect threats very seriously and will continue to be proactive with security and enforcement strategies.

As a precautionary measure, the DPS is collaborating with federal officials to monitor and implement additional safety efforts after today’s tragic event in Boston, the release states.

CARSON CITY — Beginning today, Nevada no longer recognizes Arizona's concealed weapons permits, the Nevada Department of Public Safety announced.

At a Feb. 28 meeting of the Nevada Sheriffs’ and Chiefs’ association, the groups unanimously agreed to end the recognition of concealed weapon permits. According to a news release, the action was taken in accordance with Nevada Revised Statue 202.3689.

Telephone and communication upgrades at the Nevada Department of Public Safety may interfere with communication calls with dispatch on Saturday.
The repairs are schedule to take place through noon Saturday and there is a possibility the NHP emergency line may be down during this time, said NHP Trooper Chuck Allen.

Sex offenders registered in Carson City and Douglas County had status checks this weekend during a sweep conducted by the Nevada Department of Public Safety Parole and Probation and the state's investigations division.

Detectives conducted the operation Saturday, Feb. 2, and did surveillance and made home contacts on 23 supervised sex offenders residing in Carson City and Douglas County. The agency received funding for the operation through a United States Department of Justice COPS grant.

Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval has appointed Minden attorney Nathan “Tod” Young to the Ninth Judicial District Court, Department 1 vacancy.

“Tod’s breadth of experience which comes from owning his own law practice to serving as an arbitrator will serve as a strong foundation for the bench,” Governor Brian Sandoval said in a Dec. 21 statement. “Combined with having served as a legal guardian, I am confident that Tod will be a valuable addition to the Ninth Judicial District Court.”

With requests for children's Christmas gifts soaring over the past three years, the Toys For Tots program in Carson City got a healthy boost courtesy of the Capitol Police division of the Nevada Department of Public Safety.

For the past several weeks Capitol Police officers and Nevada Department DPS staff members have been collecting new unwrapped toys, bicycles and warm clothing in Carson City to assist the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves with its the Toys for Tots collection drive effort.

Gun vendors submitted more requests for background checks for weapons purchases this weekend in Nevada than any other weekend this year, according to the Nevada Department of Public Safety.

Operation Scarecrow, a multi-jurisdiction law enforcement task force designed to keep watch on convicted sex offenders during Halloween, reports that it did not make any arrests.
Officers from the Nevada Department of Public Safety – Division of Parole and Probation made a total of 112 home contacts and 35 surveillances of supervised sex offenders in the Carson City and Northern Nevada.

CARSON CITY – Gov. Brian Sandoval today announced he has appointed Bruce Breslow as director of the Department of Business and Industry, effective November 12. Breslow is currently Director of the Department of Motor Vehicles.

The Nevada Department of Public Safety, Division of Parole and Probation and Carson City authorities have again launched Operation Scarecrow, a program eight years running that targets sex offenders and predators during Halloween.

Operation Scarecrow's purpose is to ensure there is no contact between division supervised sex offenders and children. Law enforcement will provide enhanced community supervision and give specific direction to high risk and high profile sex offenders, said DPS Spokeswman Gail Powell.

On Tuesday, October 16, 2012 the Nevada Commission on Homeland Security held its quarterly meeting in Carson City. Gov. Brian Sandoval, chairman of the Homeland Security Commission, along with 16 commission members tackled a lengthy agenda, including committee updates, recommendations and implementation of new processes.
 

How to meet unfunded mandates and keep up with the demands the state of Nevada has made as it shifts services to Carson City will be presented as a discussion and possible action item when the Board of Supervisors meet this week.
Carson City leaders will consider drafting a letter to Gov. Brian Sandoval with copies to the city's legislators, about changes made at the state level which have cut services and have required local governments, such as Carson City, to pick up the tab.

A series of drills simulating emergencies such as extreme weather, power outages, aircraft mishaps, lost climbers and transportation issues will be performed this weekend as part of operation Green Light organized by the Nevada Division of Emergency Management and the the Department of Homeland Security.
Operation Green Light will further develop and strengthen regional partnerships and enhance emergency preparedness, response, and prevention capabilities, according to Nevada Department of Public Safety spokeswoman Gail Powell. Participating counties include Carson City, Douglas, Elko, Humboldt, Lyon, Pershing, Storey and Washoe.

Nevada Department of Public Safety - Division of Parole and Probation officers arrested Andrew Kay at his home in Washoe Valley, Nevada on Tuesday, April 10, 2012 for Probation Violation. The arrest of Kay resulted in the seizure of multiple weapons.

On May 11, 2011, Andrew Kay was placed on probation supervision for 14 felony and two gross misdemeanor convictions; Conspiracy to Commit a Crime, Burglary (two counts), Grand Larceny, Malicious Destruction of Property (five counts) and Possession of Stolen Property (five counts).

CARSON CITY – Two top state law enforcement positions have been filled by the Nevada Department of Public Safety (DPS).

Troy Abney was named as chief of the Nevada Highway Patrol after a national search. Abney has 28 years of law enforcement experience, including serving as the assistant chief of the California Highway Patrol where he led 786 sworn and non-sworn members.

CARSON CITY, Nev. – The Nevada Departments of Public Safety and Transportation are reminding motorists to always drive safely after Nevada traffic fatalities rose by nearly a third in the first three months of 2012 compared to the same time last year.

Preliminary numbers show that 57 traffic fatalities occurred on Nevada roads in the first quarter of 2012, an increase of 11 deaths over the same time last year.

The Nevada Division of Emergency Management/Homeland Security and the National Weather Service are partnering together to educate the citizens of Nevada on National Flood Safety Awareness Week, March 12-16.

According to the National Weather Service, Floods and Flash Floods are the #1 weather-related killer in the United States and can occur any time of the year. This is why the Nevada Division of Emergency Management and the National Weather Service Offices in Reno, Las Vegas, and Elko want to help spread the word about being flood safe.

Fire officials at a news conference this evening in Reno said the Washoe Drive Fire totally destroyed 29 dwellings and damaged five others, burning a total of 3,177 acres. The fire is 65 percent contained.

They also said that a person has come forward claiming he improperly disposed of fireplace ashes, which started the blaze.

The Nevada Department of Public Safety says that U.S. Highway 395 may reopen after 10 p.m. tonight after crews worked all days repairing damage to make the roads safe.

Officials reported this morning that the Washoe Drive Fire destroyed 26 homes, and has currently consumed 3,900 acres.

At a 9 a.m. press conference, officials reported the blaze is 50 percent contained, and that 700 firefighters are working to extinguish hot spots in advance of the high wind that are forecast for this afternoon.

There were 20 homes reported lost last night, but in the light of day, personnel working the fire were able to get a better count of the structures that burned.

Nevada traffic fatalities dropped in 2011 to 243.

Preliminary numbers show that 243 fatalities occurred on Nevada roads in 2011. This compares to 257 Nevada traffic deaths in 2010.

The reduced fatalities follow a general trend of traffic deaths dropping from an all-time high of 432 in 2006 to 243 in 2011.

Question: What do Santa, a clown, a platoon of police officers, and coffee have in common?

Answer: They were all at the Wal-Mart service center Friday morning.

The second day of the seventh-annual Holiday With a Hero shopping spree event kicked off at 9 a.m., with the volunteers being fed donuts and coffee. Santa and his Wal-Mart helpers stood prepped to welcome less-fortunate children and help pair them off with volunteers, who would help them spend their complimentary Wal-Mart gift cards.

On November 9, 2011 at 11 a.m. Pacific Time and 2 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, the federal government will conduct the first nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS).  The test will last up to three and a half minutes. During this period, regularly scheduled television, radio, cable, and satellite shows will be interrupted as the system is being tested. 

Governor Brian Sandoval and the Nevada Department of Public Safety and Transportation are this weekend reminding Nevada drivers that handheld cellphone use while driving is now prohibited in the state.

Governor Brian Sandoval, the Nevada Departments of Public Safety and Transportation and other traffic safety partners held an event in Carson City to remind drivers that handheld cellphone use while driving is prohibited in the state as of Oct. 1.

As of Oct. 1, law enforcement is giving motorists a warning for driving while talking, typing or reading on a handheld cellphone or similar device. Beginning Jan. 1, 2012, fines of up to $250, depending on the number of offenses, will be imposed for any driver using a handheld phone or device to talk, type or read.

CARSON CITY – Brian Sandoval has made it clear in his first eight months on the job that he is going to be a “hands on” chief executive, as evidenced by decisions he has made to be personally involved on issues ranging from economic development to homeland security.

Thanks to a letter written by a concerned citizen, Nevada owners of a concealed weapons (CCW) permit may soon be able to purchase more firearms without further background checks and the associated $25 fee.

CARSON CITY – A Nevada activist group is criticizing a decision by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to terminate all of its agreements with states regarding the operation of its “Secure Communities” program.
The information sharing program identifies criminal aliens for prosecution and deportation.