Law enforcement offices to reopen with key changes

Some Las Vegas police buildings and all area commands are reopening to the public next week, but visitors will be required to wear face masks and follow other “stringent health protocols,” the department announced Friday.

The Metropolitan Police Department said the front offices of its 10 area commands, the Records and Fingerprints Bureau and the evidence vault will reopen to the public on Tuesday with the new conditions “to safeguard visitors and employees” against the coronavirus.

Anyone who visits the Metro buildings that are opening will be required to wear a face mask. Police will be providing masks as long as they are available, but Metro asks that visitors bring their own if possible. Police will also take the temperature of all visitors, who will be asked to return later if they have a fever or show signs of illness.

The department requested anyone who can access online services to continue doing so for records requests and to file telephone or online crime reports when possible. People can still use the new online concealed carry permit application to apply for the permit, settle payment issues or schedule appointments.

The area commands and evidence vault will resume normal business hours from before the closure prompted by the coronavirus pandemic. The Records and Fingerprint Bureau, at 400 S. Martin Luther King Blvd., will be open from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays.

Metro said it’s reopening the bureau to help convicted felons and sex offenders access the department, since they are required to register with police.

Police are also asking that only people who require services visit the buildings. People should bring a cellphone so they can “wait safely outside until called,” the department said Friday.