New tentative agreement between city and police department focuses on recruitment goals

With the release of a tentative new agreement by the mayor’s office on Friday, the city is confident the police department could be fully staffed by 2027.The agreement is for two years, which Mayor John Ewing Jr. hopes will give the Omaha Police Department more time to focus on recruitment and policing.“We are working hard to fill our sworn police ranks,” Ewing said. “The contracts reflect an effort to recruit and retain officers to keep our city and its residents safe. I am proud of the department under Chief Schmaderer’s leadership and want to see us hit our goal of filling all 906 spots.”RELATED COVERAGE: GTF: Omaha police staffing shortage continues, union wants more done to fix the problem“The new contract ensures OPD officers are compensated appropriately and sets the department up for success in recruiting new officers and retaining our veterans,” police chief Todd Schmaderer said.The tentative agreement included wage increases each year, just over 5.5% in 2026 and 6.4% in 2027.Make sure you can always see the latest news, weather, sports and more from KETV NewsWatch 7 on Google Search.NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Local News | National | Sports | Newscasts on demand |