While Lincoln County is the third largest county by area in the state of Nevada with a total area of 10,637 square miles, the population is estimated to be 5,183 people in 2019 by the U.S. Census. The main law enforcement agency is the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, whose deputies patrol approximately 402 miles of paved road including U.S highways, state routes, city streets, and county maintained roads. They work with other state agencies to enforce all laws, especially traffic safety laws.
The agency has worked closely with the Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) for several years and has participated in the Joining Forces program for more than 15 years. Working with the Joining Forces program allows the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office to work approximately 12 events each year, which places extra officers on the streets to enforce traffic safety and DUI laws. OTS and the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office share the same goal of Zero Fatalities and with this grant funding they strive to attain this goal. During their most recent Joining Forces event, deputies conducted a total of 205 traffic stops, three DUI arrests, and two other arrests. The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office has noted a 50% increase in DUIs from 2019 even with the COVID-19 restrictions in place.
The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office has worked with the OTS to ensure that they have new and improved radar and LIDAR units to target high-flow traffic areas where speed and other violations are a traffic safety issue. The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office has had a great partnership with OTS and Joining Forces over the years and looks forward to continuing this important work in the future. Their goal will always be Zero Fatalities.
