Omaha police chief orders additional training after officer-involved shootings

OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) – Citing “recent officer-involved shootings,” Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer is requiring officers to complete additional training on how to deal with force.

A press release issued Friday said all OPD officers will participate in a VirTra simulation training called “Shoot/Don’t Shoot,” which aims to “improve decision-making in high-stress scenarios” and ” to strengthen critical judgment during use”. -Force situations” through “immersive, real-life situations”.

“We take every incident involving officers very seriously and are committed to providing our officers with the best possible training. This additional training will help our officers make accurate split-second decisions and ultimately contribute to the safety and trust of our community.”

The specialized training complements the annual training OPD officers already receive, the release said.

Schmaderer’s mandate comes about weeks after he held a news conference to discuss details of the events that led from a traffic stop to the shooting of 22-year-old Steven Phipps Jr. by police officer Noah Zendejas as he pursued him on foot.

In August, OPD officer Adam Vail shot and killed 37-year-old Cameron Ford, who was unarmed, while authorities were issuing a warrant – an incident that led Schmaderer to recommend firing the officer and recommending the department retire its standard Execution of such arrest warrants.

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