Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer addresses timely issues concerning police-citizen relations, policies for a safer community

In response to George Floyd’s death, Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer is taking action to ensure Omahans feel safe and heard.

During the Omaha protests, Schmaderer says the department sought to encourage discourse and safety.

“We had one primary mission and that was we wanted to ensure voices were heard in a peaceful, lawful protest,” Schmaderer says.

Following about 30 large protests where officers were stationed, Schmaderer says the Omaha Police Department is assessing ways to improve police-community relations, which it will present to the mayor and city council for public release.

Tackling racism

Schmaderer says the department is addressing racism by making sure the proper hiring process, training, culture, and procedures are in place.

These policies include a mandatory officer training program. Set for late July, the program will involve a George Floyd case study and tactical training on use-of-force, implicit bias, and cultural competency.

“What we’re looking to do there is instill those policies and procedures into the minds of those officers and into the culture of the Omaha Police Department,” Schmaderer says.

The need for reform

After assessing the protests, Schmaderer says he saw the need to implement changes, including the duty to intervene at the cost of termination.

“If you’re an officer on the scene and you witness another officer using excessive force, you must intervene,” he says.

Although Schmaderer says the department has never trained on these tactics, official policy now forbids chokeholds and the knee to the neck maneuver.

He also says the department is strengthening relationships with community partners and revisiting policies to determine where changes can occur.

“You have to do it right because of the public trust piece,” Schmaderer says.

Building better relationships

As police chief, Schmaderer says his goal is to be open to feedback. He encourages citizens to contact him about a bad interaction with the department or with suggestions to improve relations.

“The best thing we can do is continue that progression upward,” Schmaderer says. “The best thing I can do as chief is be a part of that as much as I can.”

About Todd Schmaderer

Todd R. Schmaderer was appointed the 32nd Chief of Police for the City of Omaha on August 15, 2012. Chief Schmaderer leads the largest law enforcement agency in the State of Nebraska, which is comprised of 860 sworn officers and 200 non-sworn personnel. He manages an operating budget of $140 million and serves a population of 460,000 residents in the city limits.

Todd Schmaderer is a dedicated police professional who has excelled at all ranks, through Chief of Police, in the Omaha Police Department. Todd is a 22-year-veteran of the Omaha Police Department, and previously held the positions of Deputy Chief, Captain, Training Academy Commander, and Uniform Patrol Supervisor as a Lieutenant and Sergeant.

Chief Schmaderer received a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from UNO and a Master’s degree in Criminal Justice from the University of Cincinnati. He is an Adjunct Professor of Criminal Justice at Bellevue University.

Chief Schmaderer serves on the Boards of many organizations, to include the Nebraska Crime Commission, the Omaha Police Foundation, and the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Midlands.

Chief Schmaderer is a member of the Omaha-Metropolitan Chiefs Association, the Police Officers Association of Nebraska, the Major Cities Chiefs Association, and the International Association of Chiefs of Police.

Todd has lived in Omaha his entire life and is a 1990 graduate of Omaha Roncalli High School.