Reality Based Training Center

LVMPD: RBT Center Fundraising Campaign

After the events of October 1st in Las Vegas and so many other tragedies around the world, it’s clearer than ever: our police officers and emergency workers must be more prepared. It’s not just about bravery. It’s about proper training — the kind that helps them respond with clarity, calm, and care when things go wrong.

And in case you’re wondering what happened on October 1st, that date marks one of the darkest days in our city’s history. In 2017, a gunman opened fire from a hotel window onto a crowd attending the Route 91 Harvest music festival. Sixty lives were lost, and hundreds more were injured in what became the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history.

The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) recognized that emergency responders need better tools and preparation, not just for major threats but for everyday challenges too.

That’s why they’re leading the creation of the Nevada Joint Training Center: a state-of-the-art facility focused on what’s called Reality-Based Training. This means putting officers in realistic, high-pressure scenarios that reflect what they might face on the job.

Why This Matters to the Las Vegas Community

While the current plans for the training center focus on emergency response, we believe this is also an opportunity to incorporate awareness around neurodiversity and respectful engagement with vulnerable populations.

Many families live with a lingering worry: what if chaos erupts in a public place? What if there’s panic, loud noise, or a sudden police presence — and our autistic child is there in the middle of it all? Will they freeze up, run, or become overwhelmed? And if they respond in a way that doesn’t look “normal,” will officers see them as a threat instead of someone needing help?

These are not dramatic worries — they are daily concerns for parents raising children on the spectrum, and for autistic adults who face similar risks. This new training center has the potential to open conversations and build training modules that go beyond tactical skills. It can help officers understand neurodivergent individuals — those who think, move, or communicate in ways that might seem unfamiliar — and approach them with calm, patience, and care.

Building a Safer, Smarter Future for Everyone

The LVMPD Foundation has launched a campaign to raise $20 million to bring this center to life. Phase one includes two large buildings. The first, over 50,000 square feet, will include classrooms, mat rooms for physical training, high-tech simulators, and offices. It will allow up to 30 officers to train together; currently, they’re limited to just 10.

The second building, more than 75,000 square feet, will house an indoor tactical training village. Picture a realistic town setup—casinos, homes, stores—designed to let responders practice in a safe, controlled environment that mirrors real-life situations.

And yes, that includes scenarios where someone may be having a mental health crisis, experiencing sensory overload, or struggling to communicate. Officers will learn not just tactics, but how to pause, assess, and respond with care and patience.

Studies consistently show that immersive, hands-on training is the most effective way to prepare responders for real emergencies. It sharpens judgment, builds emotional resilience, and helps avoid tragic misunderstandings.

We believe that public safety must include everyone: autistic children, non-verbal teens, neurodivergent adults, and anyone whose behavior might fall outside the “norm.”

This training center will be one of the most advanced in the country. More importantly, it represents a step forward—a sign that our community is serious about compassion, awareness, and doing better.