Apr 6, 2026
Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department News
Las Vegas, April 6, 2026 – LVMPD Foundation Board Members were treated on Monday to a special tour of the police department’s new Drone Operations Center at headquarters in Las Vegas. The Unit was officially unveiled in January, with a special ceremony headed by Sheriff Kevin McMahill.
The Fusion Watch center at Metro’s headquarters — and a fleet of police drones and rooftop launch pads — is part of Sheriff Kevin McMahill’s vision to make Metro into one of the most tech-savvy departments around.
“This is all part of a long-term effort to modernize how we protect this community and how we respond when it matters the most,” McMahill said during an unveiling of a new rooftop drone port area at LVMPD headquarters in central Las Vegas. “When I ran for Sheriff three years ago, I made a commitment to make the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department the most technologically advanced in this country.”
The LVMPD’s Fusion Watch and Drone Operations Center houses the department’s real-time information network. The agency has dozens of drones, which can be launched from 13 skyports across the city. In all, Metro has about 75 drones at its disposal in different shapes and sizes, equipped with artificial intelligence technology that prevents them from crashing into fixed objects or other crafts in the sky. They also have thermal imaging, which can be useful for a number of different purposes.
Steven Oscar, program manager for the drone operation center, said the Fusion Watch floor has eight pilot bays, and the center runs around the clock. “This is a paradigm shift in police work,” Oscar said. “We’re able to get an aerial asset up so that we don’t have any surprises for our police officers. If somebody calls 311 or 911, they’re able to get an instant response, so they’re not waiting minutes or an hour. It’s a huge benefit for us to have something where we don’t have to send an officer around a corner because we already know what’s back there.”
The drone program has been supported by a number of private companies and major local donors. Antonio Accornero, Las Vegas businessman and LVMPD Foundation Board Member, was impressed with what he saw on the tour. “This is a perfect example of public-private partnership, and, frankly, it’s the future of policing,” he said. “I’m proud to continue partnering with LVMPD, and I’m looking forward to witnessing the agency’s future endeavors.”