Every Henderson patrol car now carries a specialized strangulation kit, part of a broader push by police to strengthen how they respond to domestic violence calls across the Las Vegas Valley. Henderson Police Department Captain Seth Van-Beveren and Victim Advocate Sara Owen laid out the department's approach in an interview with New 3, describing the kits as one part of its response to domestic violence.
According to KSNV, domestic violence remains a major issue in the valley, and the department has been working to strengthen its response to victims. The City of Henderson describes a new initiative focused on strangulation victims. The initiative is part of the department's broader response to domestic violence, according to the City of Henderson.
Why Strangulation Evidence Carries Legal Weight
That documentation matters well beyond the scene of the crime. Under Nevada Revised Statutes 200.485 and 200.481, domestic battery by strangulation is classified as a Category C felony, according to Justia. A legal finding of guilt is required for a conviction; qualifying domestic battery by strangulation is classified as a Category C felony. Nevada law generally requires officers to arrest the primary physical aggressor when probable cause exists, subject to limited exceptions. Those arrested must be held in custody for a mandatory 12-hour period before becoming eligible for bail, per Battlefront Legal. The same source notes that the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department recorded 17,898 domestic violence reports in 2024, down from 18,165 the year before, as Nevada's statewide domestic-violence rate eased from 8.9 to 8.5 per 1,000 residents.
Nevada law generally requires officers to arrest the primary physical aggressor when probable cause exists, subject to limited exceptions. Those arrested must be held in custody for a mandatory 12-hour period before becoming eligible for bail, per Battlefront Legal. The same source notes that the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department recorded 17,898 domestic violence reports in 2024, down from 18,165 the year before, as Nevada's statewide domestic-violence rate eased from 8.9 to 8.5 per 1,000 residents.
Clark County At The Center Of A Statewide Crisis
Domestic violence remains a major issue in the Las Vegas Valley, and Henderson police have been working to strengthen their response to victims.
The scale of the underlying problem is reflected in lifetime prevalence data too. World Population Review reports that 43.8% of Nevada women and 32.8% of Nevada men experience intimate partner physical violence, rape, or stalking at some point in their lives, while ranking Nevada fifth-highest for overall crime rate, per World Population Review. Those figures reflect the prevalence of intimate-partner violence in Nevada.
Victim Advocates Carry Survivors Through The Aftermath
Sara Owen, who represents the department's Victim Services unit, discussed victim services with New 3. Henderson's team of Victim Advocates provided direct support to 3,943 people affected by crime during 2025, according to the Henderson Police Department. The department's victim-advocate program offers court accompaniment and referrals to local crisis facilities including S.A.F.E. House.
Henderson's victim-advocate program offers services that include court accompaniment and referrals. Henderson has also seen how quickly a standoff can become a public safety threat: on June 27, a standoff at Sunset Station ended with the seizure of 22 firearms from a vehicle and more than two dozen additional firearms from a nearby home.
Together, the strangulation kits, the arrest and hold provisions, and the victim advocate unit represent Henderson's attempt to address domestic violence at multiple points, from the initial 911 call through prosecution. The department's response reflects an effort to strengthen how it handles domestic violence cases.
