WOWT in Omaha, Nebraska The Omaha Police Department handles traffic safety, theft, and violent crime prevention, such as what occurred in New Orleans this week.
The Omaha Police Officer’s Association (OPOA) has stated in a number of recent posts about porch pirates and other front yard robberies that the police department is “critically understaffed.”
“Obviously, the city as a whole will feel the impact of being 130 officers short,” stated President Patrick Dempsey. “There will be fewer officers on uniformed patrol or crews, fewer officers in specialized roles, and fewer officers available to investigate crimes in general.”
Documents The city’s first Alert 6 revealed that 101 police personnel were missing from the force.
However, Dempsey stated that recruits who are paid but not yet on duty are included in OPOA’s figure.
The OPOA thinks the gang unit is fully staffed and the police can still keep our neighborhood secure during public events in spite of the lack.
They claimed that traffic enforcement and investigators of violent and property crimes are hampered by the lack of staff.
“We are unable to continue investigating at the high level we do when we have fewer detectives,” Dempsey stated.
The OPOA predicts that there will be fewer officers than there are now, even though Mayor Jean Stothert hopes to restore the police force to full strength by the end of this year.
Given the sheer volume of retirements and the anticipated makeup of our upcoming academy class, Dempsey stated, “I don’t think it’s attainable at this point in time.” “The city has done a fantastic job of trying to increase the number of applications we receive, but those numbers are still below what we require to effectively fill those vacancies that we have.”
In a statement released on Friday, Stothert’s office partially reacted, saying:
“The Omaha Police Officers Association’s attempt to warn the public on social media that their safety is in danger as we return to our authorized, budgeted number of police officers is disheartening.”
It continued by saying:
“We have been quite transparent with the public regarding the difficulties we face in attracting and retaining officers nationwide, as well as our plans to address open positions, such as the $9.5 million raise I granted officers last year. Our strategies are effective.
OPD’s recruiting numbers are keeping up with those who are leaving, according to Chief Todd Schmaderer, who stated on Friday that one or two strong hiring pools will bring Omaha back.
“At the moment, we’re keeping up,” Schmaderer stated. “We want to move forward. I do believe that we will begin to make progress because the number of applications is increasing.
He said that his department’s staff reduction of 10–12% was comparable to that of other large cities.
But what will it take to improve the numbers?
Schmaderer stated, “I will tell you that Omaha police officers are paid fairly.” “They get good pay. However, we will consider that factor as we seek to expand our workforce.
Dempsey concurs, but he believes that recruiting is influenced by other variables.
He stated, “I believe it comes down to streamlining and consolidating some of the processes so officers can start quicker than they are currently.”
At the end of this year, he added, they will negotiate a contract with the city to address some of the things they believe will increase the number of recruits.
Schmaderer stated that he believes that after the 2020 events, policing is viewed as a less appealing career. He thinks more people will apply for jobs once they realize how vital the police are.
The complete statement from Mayor Stothert:
As we return to our permitted, budgeted amount of police officers, it is disheartening that the Omaha Police Officers Association is attempting to warn the public on social media that their safety is in danger.
Despite having fewer cops, Omaha’s overall crime rate decreased by 17% in 2024 compared to 2023, while violent crime decreased by 22%.
On homicide investigations, we have once again maintained quick reaction times and a 100% clearance record. My main duty is to ensure public safety, and this statistics demonstrates that Omaha is a safe city.
Next week, one batch of recruits will graduate from the training academy, and another will start this spring. We have strict hiring criteria to choose only the best applicants, and we won’t accept any applications to fill open positions.
In addition to our initiatives to replace vacancies, including the $9.5 million raise I awarded officers last year, we have been very transparent with the public about the difficulties we face in attracting and retaining officers nationwide. Our strategies are effective.