LAS VEGAS - Las Vegas is a high-stakes world of high-rollers and world class entertainment – a perfect place to ring in the new year.
"It's just crazy. It's fun," said Oklahoma visitor Dallas Fifield.
"All the camaraderie and partying, and it will be fun," added Florida visitor Laurie Kurdziel.
View a List of New Year's Eve Events in Las Vegas
Metro Police Lt. Jack Clements took 8 News NOW along as he patrolled a crowded Las Vegas Strip Friday night. He says New Year's Eve is the biggest night of the year for Metro.
"We've been planning for this for eleven months to get ready, and we're prepared for it," he said. "A big part of what we do down here, of course, is crowd management - making sure we keep people flowing, and they don't bunch up. When people tend to bunch up, that's when we start having issues with fights or folks getting hurt. So, we try to make sure that we keep people moving."
New Year's party-goers will find a heavy police presence that includes uniformed and undercover officers.
"It's not so much the goal of wanting to write everybody a ticket or take everybody to jail," Lt. Clements said. "Really, it's about keeping the community safe and keeping the folks here on the Strip safe. That's our sole function down here is to ensure that Las Vegas is the safest tourist destination in the world."
Troublemakers who think they can come to Las Vegas and break the law may spend the first day of 2012 locked up.
"Although we want everybody to have a good time and enjoy themselves while they're here in Las Vegas, we also want people to understand, like every other state, we have laws that are in place to protect everybody," Clements said. "We want people to obey those laws while they're here. Otherwise, they may have contact with Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department."
Police remind everyone not to drink and drive and take steps to avoid spiked drinks. Do not leave them unattended.
Police also urge people to bundle up to avoid hypothermia. The temperature New Year's Eve could dip below 50 degrees.
