LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Channel 13 followed along with POP, or the "problem-oriented policing" team, in Downtown Las Vegas.
The team is comprised of four Deputy City Marshals: Janella Mazza, Carly Espinoza, Dagmawe Woldehawariat, and Chad Bryan.
Mazza and Espinoza are the original two members who began on Fremont Street in February. Now, the team has expanded to the Arts District and began in late August.
"With some success, in fact a lot of success, that we saw in Fremont, we were requested in the Arts District," Mazza said.
Throughout this year, we told you about ongoing crime affecting small business owners in the Arts District.
RELATED STORY | Copper wire thieves cost City of Las Vegas $1.5 million since 2022
Now the city is taking this matter into their own hands, especially when it comes to the public streets and sidewalks.
"A lot of the businesses just want to hear someone let them know...we're going to be there for them," said Espinoza. "So by us showing up to their businesses, letting them know what we do and building that rapport, now they're like 'Okay, they're here.'"
Since POP's presence in the Arts District, the city said there have been 14 arrests, 39 citations, 28 warnings and 22 community contacts.
WATCH | Meet the Las Vegas POP team and catch an inside look of their day-to-day
Woldehawariat said the team likes to lead with compassion when it comes to contact with the unhoused.
"My number one thing is to make sure they have a better experience than they did before," Woldehawariat said.
The Deputy City Marshals said a big portion of complaints from business owners in the Arts District comes from the unhoused population, so they want to provide resources for those people in need or direct them to local shelters.
The POP team said they have a proactive approach to prevent crime before it strikes.
"We come out here before businesses open up to curb some of those issues," said Mazza. "We go in day in and day out, and ask them, 'how can we help you? What have you been experiencing?'"
So Channel 13 walked along the Arts District with POP and asked those in the community if POP is working.
"We had a little incident a few weeks ago with someone trying to steal copper off of our roof and the marshals were here immediately," said Good Pie General Manager Leah Andrews.
Andrews told Channel 13 she's noticed an improvement in safety and cleaner streets in the downtown Arts District with the presence of POP.
POP hopes to establish a relationship with everyone in the Arts District community and said crime has gone down with their efforts.
"We will go out there and do what needs to be done," said Espinosa. "We want everyone to feel safe."
POP is patrolling the streets Tuesdays through Fridays, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. each week. But those who need help when POP isn't there can call 702-229-6444.
