Cary Underwood
Southwestern Zone Vice Chairperson
Director of Intelligence, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (NV)

With 28 years of experience as an intelligence and security professional, Cary Underwood currently leads LVMPD’s SNCTC Bureau, which includes oversight of LMVPD’s Central Intelligence Unit, Counter Terrorism Section, Technology Operations Section, ARMOR Task Force, Crime Gun Intelligence Center (CGIC) and Nevada HIDTA Intelligence Support. He is the director of the Southern Nevada Counterterrorism Center (SNCTC). He previously held intelligence and security positions with multiple companies supporting the US Department of Defense (DoD), including JT3 LLC, Mantech Advanced Development Group, and PSC Inc. He began his intelligence career in the US Army in 1994 as an Electronic Warfare Signals Intelligence Analyst. Cary has extensive experience in the intelligence profession, working in the US Intelligence Community, DoD Special Access Programs, the National Network of Fusion Centers, High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) programs, Crime Gun Intelligence Centers (CGIC), and local law enforcement intelligence efforts focusing on violent crime. Over the course of his career, he has worked closely with DoD components, NSA, DHS, FBI, DEA, ATF, ICE, USSS, State Department, as well as state and local law enforcement agencies throughout the US and overseas. Cary’s experience in international terrorism was instrumental post-9/11 in the development of the intelligence analysis and production effort at the LVMPD-led SNCTC.  Cary Underwood received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from California State University at San Bernardino in 1999. His military education honors include Basic Combat Training Solider of the Cycle and T-9 Cryptanalysis Program Distinguished Graduate. In the US Army, Cary was highly sought after for his ability to provide timely and relevant intelligence information to battlefield commanders and national intelligence mission managers and for his leadership of intelligence soldiers, earning recognition from the commanding officers of 1st Infantry Division and 10th Special Forces Group, as well as US Army Intelligence and Security Command. At LVMPD, Cary has been entrusted to develop intelligence structures and processes for LVMPD’s commitment to national intelligence efforts and reducing violent crime, representing LVMPD with several national initiatives such as the National Fusion Centers Association, Major City Chiefs Association Intelligence Commanders Group, NYPD Sentry, and the Western Region Crime Gun Intelligence Working Group Steering Committee. Cary was born in the greater East Los Angeles area and spent most of his youth in southern California. He met his wife Kate in Las Vegas, where they blended their children into one family of scholar athletes. They spend most of their free time at sporting events. Their oldest child, Mandy, is a diver at St. Bonaventure University in New York. Their second oldest, Kael, is a student at UNLV and a soldier in the Nevada National Guard. Their third oldest, Kylee, is a cross country athlete at Lynn University in Boca Raton, FL. The fourth oldest, Megan, is a top ranked high school pole vaulter in Nevada. The youngest, Aubrey, is a high school varsity swimmer and 2021 regional diving champion in southern Nevada. In 2018, the family accepted guardianship of Danika, a junior Olympic gymnast who moved to Las Vegas to pursue becoming a collegiate gymnast. She now attends and competes for Utah State University gymnastics.

Executive Board