The Association’s ongoing mission is to provide our members with the best benefits and services. The LVPPA represents our members throughout officer-involved shooting response/investigations; in-custody death response/investigations; pre-termination, non-confirmation and civil service hearings; arbitration processes; contract negotiations; legislative matters; and administrative hearings such as Internal Affairs, Vehicle Collision Board and Diversity. And, most recently, we are available to assist with the completion of use-of-force reporting if needed. Nine full-time Executive Board members respond 24/7, 365 days per year, to the needs of our membership.

As of late, the Executive Board has striven to provide an additional service to our membership. We believe it is critically important to balance work and personal life. Our members work every shift/RDO imaginable; therefore, we miss out on many holidays and other events that folks outside of our profession rarely do.

I would like to take a few moments of your time to provide an overview of the events that we provide for you and your family, in the hopes that if you have not had an opportunity to attend one, you soon will.

Easter

The Easter event took place this year at All American Park. The Easter Bunny was on site for the duration of the event for photos with the kids. There was a DJ on hand and many bounce houses, a rock-climbing station and other fun attractions for the kids, including a face painter. There were Easter egg hunts for the kids that were broken down by age group. There were four food trucks on hand, serving free food to our members and their families. This is a private event and is closed to the public. There are tents and chairs provided for members to sit and take a break and eat. This event lasts approximately three to four hours.

Las Vegas Aviators Baseball

Several times throughout the baseball season, the Association will purchase the third-base deck and upper row of seats for a game. The deck area consists of several tables and couches to sit at. The catered food, snacks, soda, water and tap beer are free. There is a bar within the secure area for members to purchase liquor and wine. Members are allowed to leave the secure area and walk downstairs to the many vendors. Gates usually open one hour before the start of the game and the seats fill quickly, leaving the open deck area, tables and standing room only. This event is closed to the public. Keep in mind that the sun is still up for an hour or so when you first arrive, so if you are bringing small children or infants, plan accordingly. Also, have the kids bring a glove, as foul balls will find their way over from time to time.

Charity Tackle Football Game

This year completed the second installment of a tradition that was brought back from the ’70s and ’80s. For the last two years, police and corrections officers from the LVMPD have squared off against the Valley’s firefighters for charity in a game of tackle football. In 2022, Bonanza High School hosted the event. This year, Bishop Gorman hosted us. This game is open to the public. Food trucks are on hand for food purchases. This football game raises money for the firefighters’ charity, the Children’s Heart Foundation and our very own Law Enforcement Assistance Fund, which allows us to provide a college education for the children of our members who have died in the line of duty. This event has been very successful and will continue to grow in the coming years. This game is typically held in May. Do not miss the next one.

UNLV Football/Tailgating

Several times throughout the college football season, the Association will purchase an area in the tailgating section of Allegiant Stadium to host our event. On site, you will find bounce houses and other fun games for the kids, as well as cornhole boards. There is free food and drink (water, soda, beer) on hand for everyone to enjoy. Just before kickoff, the tailgating is closed and the members head inside to watch the football game. The tailgating area is a private event and is closed to the public. It is important to understand the stadium’s rules related to firearms, edged weapons, purses, bags, etc. Keep in mind that parking is off-site from the tailgating area, so if you are not allowed to enter the stadium with prohibited items, getting back to a vehicle will be time-consuming.

Haunted House/Trunk-or-Treat

Each year, a portion of the Association’s building turns into a haunted house! Outside in the parking lot is a trunk-or-treat area where the kids can visit each person/booth to get safe candy and treats. There are other attractions for the kids, such as face painters, balloon artists and bounce houses. The haunted house is manned by real actors who do their very best to ensure a great experience for those brave enough to walk through it. There are food trucks on site in case you get hungry, as well as water, soda and beer. As always, the food and drinks are free to our members and their families at private events. This event usually lasts approximately four hours. Parking is somewhat limited in the immediate area, with additional parking on the roadway behind the building.

Christmas Event

The Christmas event put on by Opportunity Village each year is a must-see for Las Vegas residents and tourists alike. One night each year, the LVPPA buys out the venue. For that night, the only people allowed inside are LVPPA members and their family members. The food and the rides are free. Santa Claus flies in for a few hours to take pictures with the kiddos and families. Opportunity Village does require participants to enter through a metal detector, and they strictly enforce their weapons policies for persons not on duty. This event is heavily attended, so get there early and dress warmly.

Lifetime Membership Events

This is one of our newest events. Our goal was to provide a forum for our retired lifetime members to gather, break bread, catch up and share stories. Every quarter, we host this event in our office conference room. It is a privilege to sit in a room with 700 to 800 years of Las Vegas policing experience and visit with the old-school coppers and corrections officers who paved the way.

Charity Golf Events

Throughout the course of each year, many organizations and charities reach out to the Association to promote their charity golf events. Periodically, the Association will buy a foursome golf team and raffle the spots off to our membership. We participated in five golf events last year and three so far this year. If you like to tee it up, watch out for the drawings for future events.

Your membership in this Association is important to us. We believe it is our responsibility to provide not only the aforementioned services outlined at the beginning of this article, but also opportunities for you and your family to participate in holiday events and other special events that are safe, secure and family-friendly.

These events are a way for the members of our Association to visit and bond outside of the workplace and to get away from the stressors of our jobs. Details regarding each of these events are pushed out to the membership via email. If you do not receive emails from the Association regarding these events, please contact our office staff at (702) 384-8692 and update your email address.