Officer-involved shootings by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department dropped about 60 percent last year, hitting their lowest level in years. Metro logged seven officer-involved shootings in 2025, down from 17 in 2024, a shift the department ties to beefed-up training, updated tactics, new technology and an increased focus on officer wellness.
The department has publicly credited intensive academy work and ongoing training for the decline. "A lot of that reduction in officer-involved shootings is because of the amount and type of training they get," LVMPD Public Information Officer Sgt. Jakob Shallenberger told FOX5. According to the 2025 stat sheet from LVMPD, the agency recorded seven officer-involved shootings for the year, along with other end-of-year trends.
Numbers and the State of the Department
At his State of the Department address, Sheriff Kevin McMahill spotlighted the drop and noted that officer-involved shootings fell from 17 in 2024 to seven in 2025, a decline Metro and local outlets framed as a significant improvement. Coverage from KTNV also pointed to decreases in violent crime overall, even as traffic deaths remained a stubborn concern for the department.
Training Hub and Tactics
Behind the scenes, Metro has been leaning heavily on reality-based training and large-scale drills with other agencies. The Joint Emergency Training Institute, a multi-building campus that includes an indoor tactical village for scenario rehearsals, has become a centerpiece of that effort. The Korte Company profiled the facility and its simulation capabilities, which are designed to let officers practice high-stress encounters in a controlled environment instead of on the street.
Where This Fits Nationally
The Las Vegas numbers arrive as broader national data shows declines in some categories of on-duty law-enforcement deaths and firearm fatalities. An Associated Press review of annual fatality data found that on-duty deaths fell roughly 25 percent in 2025, a trend experts linked to a mix of training, better equipment and situational factors. AP reported those national figures.
Caveats and What to Watch
Local reporting has flagged some caution signs behind the headline numbers. The Las Vegas Review-Journal has noted that a disproportionate share of officer-involved shootings involve officers with fewer than five years on the force, which helps explain why Metro keeps hammering away at training and real-world experience. The outlet also reported that the department is pairing tactical instruction with wellness programs aimed at cutting down on stress-driven decision-making in the field.
Metro says it plans to keep expanding its training, technology and wellness efforts in hopes of keeping shootings low while it tackles other public-safety challenges. For more background on the department’s broader 2025 goals and early initiatives, see Hoodline’s earlier coverage of its crime-reduction game plan.
