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Message of the Week 05/01/2026 This is a somber week for all law enforcement officers in the State of Nevada. This week is dedicated to memorial services that honor law enforcement officers who made the ultimate sacrifice and died in the line of duty. For us who still attend or have attended the memorial services in the past, it is a reminder that every shift worked may be our last. Our chosen profession is dangerous, and every day law enforcement officers across the Count

Lyon County has been experiencing steady growth in population, employment, and economic development in recent years. If you pay attention to the agenda before the County Commissioners or the Fernley City Council, industrial projects and housing developments are frequently listed for approval. The county’s economy has also expanded, with employment growing at over 10.8% since 2019, outpacing national trends in some sectors such as logistics and manufacturing. When traversing

Message of the Week 02/13/2026 Safe Winter Driving Message from the Lyon County Sheriff's Office Winter weather in Lyon County can change quickly, and supposedly, it's finally here, creating hazardous driving conditions on our roads. Snow, ice, and reduced visibility increase the risk of crashes—especially during early mornings and evenings. We encourage everyone to slow down, allow extra travel time, and maintain a safe following distance. Make sure your vehicle is winter-re

Message of the Week 02/06/2026 The Lyon County Sheriff’s Office used to present a Citizens Academy to interested community members. The last Citizens Academy was held over a decade ago and had three attendees. Commander Ortiz and the Volunteers in Policing wanted to bring back the Citizens Academy, to allow community members an inside peek at the Sheriff’s Office daily operations. The Volunteers and a few non-sworn members are attending the academy during its initial tria

Message of the Week 01/23/2026 Every once in a while, I receive a phone call from a concerned citizen wanting to complain about an interaction with one of our Deputies. After hearing a deputy's name I had never heard, I ask the callers where they are calling from, and I have to refer them to the right Lyon County Sheriff’s Office. FOIA requests are routinely sent to our Records Division, related to other Lyon County Sheriff's Offices. Or an upset person on social media clai

Message of the Week 01/16/2026 Throughout Northern Nevada, we have seen offenders released from jails due to bail reform and legislation passed by our State Government. The intention of the bail reform was to prevent low-income offenders who committed minor crimes and cannot afford bail from being incarcerated longer than necessary. It evolved into releasing serious and repeat offenders back onto our streets, only to offend again. Often, the Sheriff’s Office, District Atto

Message of the Week 01/09/2026 The Lyon County Sheriff’s Office Annual Report is complete. 48 Images are attached to this message; each image represents a page from the yearly report. This report embodies the work of the men and women of the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office, sworn, non-sworn and volunteer alike. Their work product is impressive, and I am proud to share their accomplishments! Arrests and traffic stops are up! Crimes that affect the overall well-being of our co

Message of the Week 01/02/2026 Happy New Year and welcome to 2026! The beginning of the new year marks the start of numerous processes within the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office; one of those processes is setting and working on the budget, which resets every year on July 1. The budget process is tedious, and the budget team works diligently to ensure that your tax dollars are spent responsibly and consistently in accordance with the community's law enforcement needs. In plannin

Message of the week 12/19/2025 As 2025 comes to a close, the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office is preparing its annual report, which will include crime data from the last four years. The period covered in the crime data report spans from January 1, 2022, to December 31, 2025. There have been many inquiries about where the data is obtained from and how it is reported. The Lyon County Sheriff’s Office reports the data directly from our report management system to the State of Nev

Message of the Week 12/05/2025 There is a push nationally towards reinforcing or reforming certain laws that have been weakened over the years in legislatures, not only in Nevada but across the Country. The weakening of these laws has allowed criminals to face fewer penalties and less jail time. During my time in law enforcement, I have observed the slackening of penalties and reduction in jail time having a negative impact on our communities. Assembly Bill 4 was signed in

Yesterday was Thanksgiving, a holiday that reminds us of everything we should be thankful for, and a time to spend with family and friends. I am thankful for the entire staff of the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office, sworn, non-sworn, and volunteers alike. The effort and work product being delivered is exceptional, professional, and consistently getting better! In last week’s message of the week, I wrote how the holidays can be tough and mental health issues seem to peak during

On Tuesday, the Command Staff of the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office hosted a presentation by the representative of the Nevada 988 system. 988 is a valuable resource for the entire State for those in crisis or considering suicide. 988 is completely confidential; according to the representative, law enforcement is not contacted in over 98% of calls the hotline receives. The representative of 988 even encourages seniors who are lonely to call the service if they need to speak t

November is here already! This is the time of year that the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office begins preparing for Shop with a Sheriff! Shop with a Sheriff dates back many years and is a great program that helps further our mission of breaking down barriers between our youth and law enforcement. The Shop with a Sheriff program offers underprivileged youth from our communities the opportunity to shop for Christmas presents alongside first responders from the area. The Walmart in Fe

On Wednesday, I attended the Fernley Chamber of Commerce Quarterly Luncheon. A few individuals asked that I share crime statistics from Lyon County. Crime statistics are separated into numerous categories, based on several factors. I thought Larceny/Theft would be a great place to start, and I will release other crime statistics over the next few weeks. In January 2023, the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office restructured its personnel deployment, with a focus on increased staffing

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Date: 11/5/2025 Sheriff Brad Pope Announces Re-Election Campaign for Lyon County Sheriff Yerington, NV — Lyon County Sheriff Brad Pope has officially announced his candidacy for re-election in the 2026 election, seeking a second term as Sheriff. Sheriff Pope expressed pride in the progress made under his leadership and enthusiasm for continuing to serve the residents of Lyon County. "I am proud of what we have accomplished together during my first term.