Even after a hard push to rebuild the force, Nevada State Police are still running lean on Southern Nevada highways, with about one in three trooper positions in the Las Vegas area sitting empty. Internal figures and local officials say that shortage leaves dozens of highway posts unfilled and sends troopers stretching farther along busy corridors such as I-15, US-95 and the 215 beltway. Drivers and traffic managers say response times and day-to-day enforcement can feel thin when collisions and incidents spike.
FOIA shows partial improvement
A recent Freedom of Information Act response obtained by FOX5 puts the Las Vegas metropolitan area command at roughly a 33 percent vacancy rate, with about 344 troopers assigned to valley highways. That marks an improvement from last year, when the command was reportedly short about 191 troopers, a vacancy rate around 45 percent that created broad coverage gaps. The FOIA response also points to pay changes approved in recent years that were designed to slow the loss of officers.
State records show a longer-term shortfall
State budget and year-end records list the Nevada Highway Patrol budget account as authorized for about 599 positions, with roughly 181 vacancies as of Jan. 24, 2025. Those figures put sworn vacancy rates in the low to mid 30-percent range and highlight that the Las Vegas shortage is part of a wider statewide staffing problem, according to the Nevada Legislative Counsel Bureau.
Why hiring lags
William Sousa, director of UNLV’s Center for Crime and Justice Policy, said the hiring pipeline is long enough to wear down would-be troopers. "The background check takes a very long period of time," Sousa said, describing a gauntlet of psychological and physical exams, written testing and long waits for academy seats. He added that heavy public scrutiny and the work-life tradeoffs of policing make other careers look more appealing to many of today’s recruits, as reported by FOX5.
A national staffing squeeze
The struggle to fill trooper slots in Nevada fits a national pattern. A February 2026 review by the U.S. Government Accountability Office found that resignations and retirements climbed significantly from 2019 through 2024, and that agencies across the country are having trouble recruiting and keeping officers. GAO researchers reported that departments are experimenting with pay bumps, aggressive recruiting campaigns and targeted incentives in an effort to rebuild their ranks.
Pay hikes and recruiting perks
Nevada officials have answered with a mix of money and benefits. State leaders and the Department of Public Safety backed large raises through collective bargaining, and the agency has layered on education incentives, uniform allowances and take-home vehicle options to entice candidates. Recruiters say they are seeing more inquiries, and the department has called on retired troopers and academy cadets to help cover gaps in the meantime. KTNV and other local outlets have broken down the hiring blitz and the new incentives.
Union leaders and traffic-safety advocates say there is still plenty of ground to make up. Until vacancy rates drop below roughly one in four positions, they argue, coverage will stay uneven and some stretches of highway will likely see slower responses after crashes. State officials say the recent hiring gains are real but plan to watch upcoming academy graduations and the next round of staffing numbers to see if the trend holds, a concern also reflected in reporting by the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
