Don't Believe, Don't Trust
Omaha Police Chief Schmaderer and Willie Barney

One might expect peaks and valleys in crime data, which is far more likely in urban environments due to the greater diversity and density of people. However, there are norms in crime data that perpetually "brand" some urban environments, such as St. Louis, Chicago, etc., and Omaha! Yes, Omaha. Whether intentional or not, Omaha Police Chief Schmaderer and Willie Barney have participated in a media relations campaign (KETV-TV, CNN, Washington Post, ABC, etc.) presenting Omaha as a "model for crime reduction," and jointly taking credit for a "perceived" reduction in crime which, statistically, is not true, especially if you're Black. QUESTION: Given the paucity of Omaha's Black population, when (date and year) did the number and percent of Black homicides in Omaha consistently fall below comparable data for White homicides?
Where are the facts? Why haven't local and national print and broadcast media conducted basic "due diligence" to validate the veracity of statements made by Omaha Police Chief Schmaderer and Willie Barney?
Investigative journalism? As reported by UNO, from 1975 to 1989 (fourteen years) 55% of homicide victims in Omaha were Black; the other 45% were White. From 2007 to 2022 (fifteen years) 57% of homicide victims were Black (see graphic below). The media relations campaign of Omaha Police Chief Schmaderer and Willie Barney that presents Omaha as a "model for crime reduction" is not based on facts, but is blatantly disingenuous, or worse, a charade, or managerial negligence as represented by Chief Schmaderer's alleged "awareness" of his law enforcement peers Johnny Palermo, Rich Gonzalez, and Jack Olson. Unfortunately, instead of conducting investigative journalism, local and national media have blindly accepted data from Omaha Police Chief Schmaderer and Willie Barney. Chief Schmaderer and Willie Barney did not tell the whole story, the facts. So, let's look at the facts.
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Please note as detailed by the above exhibit, despite the fact North Omaha's Black population dropped from 45.3% in 2010 to 35.0% in 2020, and despite the fact White homicides slightly dropped during this same time period (although the average number of total homicides remained the same), nevertheless, the Black homicide rate (i.e., gun violence) has increase every year since 2016 - from 48% (2016) to 50% (2017) to 68% (2018) to 74% (2019) to 76% (2020)! Do the math. In 2009 there was a total of 30 homicides, 17 or 57% were Black; in 2020 there was a total of 37 homicides, 28 or 76% were Black! Where's the progressive and sustained reduction in Black homicides? Plus, between 2007 and 2022, the average number of White homicide victims was 16; conversely, the average number of Black homicide victims was 20. Keep in mind, Omaha's Black population has ranged from 9% to 11% of Omaha's population, against a White population of 85% to 90%. CLICK ABOVE GRAPH TO ENLARGE Year Number of Homicides in Omaha Number (%) of Black Homicides Source: Violence Policy Center Report; FBI; Department of Justice 2007 34 5 (14.71%) To download 2007 report, click here. 2008 44 0 (0.0%) To download 2008 report, click here. 2009 30 17 (56.67%) To download 2009 report, click here. 2010 34 26 (73.47%) To download 2010 report, click here. 2011 43 30 (69.77%) To download 2011 report, click here. 2012 41 31 (75.61%) To download 2012 report, click here. 2013 42 25 (59.52%) To download 2013 report, click here. 2014 32 26 (81.25%) To download 2014 report, click here. 2015 50 27 (54.00%) To download 2015 report, click here. 2016 29 14 (48.28%) To download 2016 report, click here. 2017 30 15 (50.00%) To download 2017 report, click here. 2018 22 15 (68.18%) To download 2018 report, click here. 2019 23 17 (73.91%) To download 2019 report, click here. 2020 37 28 (75.68%) To download 2020 report, click here. 2021 32 TBD Data not provided in response to FOI request. 2022 30 TBD Data not provided in response to FOI request. 2023 TBD TBD         In 2011, the national black homicide victimization rate was 17.51 per 100,000. For that year, Nebraska ranked first as the state with the highest black homicide victimization rate. Its rate of 34.43 per 100,000 was nearly double the national average for Black homicide victims. 2011 Ranking State Number of Homicides Homicide Rate per 100,000 1 Nebraska 30 34.43 2 Missouri 235 33.38 3 Michigan 447 31.54 4 Pennsylvania 419 219.02 5 Oklahoma 74 25.51 6 Louisiana 375 25.30 7 Kansas 44 24.97 8 Wisconsin 86 23.22 9 West Virginia 15 22.79 10 North Dakota 2 21.99 2012 Ranking State Number of Homicides Homicide Rate per 100,000 1 Missouri 247 34.98 2 Nebraska 31 34.93 3 Michigan 492 34.77 4 Pennsylvania 452 31.02 5 Louisiana 384 25.75 6 Indiana 157 25.48 7 Oklahoma 73 25.04 8 Wisconsin 91 24.38 9 California 585 23.25 10 Tennessee 246 22.40 2013 Ranking State Number of Homicides Homicide Rate per 100,000 1 Indiana 213 34.15 2 Missouri 216 30.42 3 Michigan 428 30.34 4 Nebraska 25 27.65 5 Oklahoma 81 27.36 6 Pennsylvania 384 26.11 7 Wisconsin 93 24.74 8 Louisiana 350 23.33 9 California 549 21.79 10 New Jersey 268 20.49       An objective assessment of violent crime in Omaha reveals Police acts of violence are independent of criminal activity in Omaha. Given the data analysis above: Of course, not all White people are racist, but . . . Omaha Police beat the crap out of unarmed Robert Wagner. As captured in a video on May 29, 2011 and broadcast on Channel 22 (CTI22) and all local commercial television stations, Robert Wagner, a Black man, was beaten, stomped, kicked, and repeatedly tasered by Omaha Police Officers in the parking lot at Creighton University Medical Center. The City of Omaha paid Wagner $32,000 in damages and an additional $68,000 for attorney fees, expenses and costs.   Of course, not all White people are racist, but . . . as usual, Omaha Police beat the crap out of unarmed Octavious Johnson Beaten by Omaha Police in 2013. The City of Omaha paid Johnson $30,000 in damages and an additional $60,000 for attorney fees, expenses and costs. Plus, during this same time: In Nebraska, specifically Omaha, Black firearm homicide rate was 23 times higher than White males. Black population in Omaha continues to decrease, and the composition of Black students and Black teachers in Omaha Public Schools continues to decrease, BUT the "pipeline" of Black juveniles populating Douglas County Juvenile detention continues to exist far greater than the percent of Black residents living in Douglas County. NORTH OMAHA'S BLACK POPULATION DROPPED FROM 45.3% TO 38%   80% OF DOUGLAS COUNTY RESIDENTS ARE WHITE, BUT 80% OF INCARCERATED YOUTH ARE MINORITIES CLICK ABOVE IMAGE TO ENLARGE   QUESTION: Where do you dump the latest group of "undesirable" people who have little to no money, no or very few employable skills, who don't speak Spanish, who are not White and where there's a helluva lot of "redlined" (Omaha Land Bank) property that nobody wants? You dump them in North Omaha, of course! CLICK ABOVE IMAGE TO ENLARGE   Omaha Public Schools exists as the "feeder group" to populate the ever increasing urban cesspool of youth incarcerated at the Douglas County Juvenile Detention Center: As reported by Schott Foundation for Public Education and OPS, in 2012-13, ranked 49th of 50, OPS had the next to the lowest graduation rate for Black males in the United States. As reported by Public School Review, for the 2023 school year, there are 111 public schools serving 51,914 students in Omaha Public Schools School District. This district's average testing ranking is 1/10, which is in the bottom 50% of public schools in Nebraska. Public Schools in Omaha Public Schools School District have an average math proficiency score of only 30% (versus the Nebraska public school average of 52%), and reading proficiency score of 33% (versus the 52% statewide average). Minority enrollment is 76% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is more than the Nebraska public school average of 35% (majority Hispanic).       BLACK STUDENT COMPOSITION AT OPS CONTINUES TO FALL   BLACK TEACHERS AND WHITE TEACHERS ARE CONSTANTLY LEAVING OMAHA PUBLIC SCHOOLS CLICK ABOVE IMAGE TO ENLARGE   CLICK ABOVE IMAGE TO ENLARGE The Omaha "city limits" include the following school districts: Omaha Public Schools, Westside Community Schools, Ralston Public Schools, Millard Public Schools, and Elkhorn Public Schools. Most importantly, as citizens of the City of Omaha the majority of these resident vote for the position of Mayor of Omaha, because their townships or villages were annexed by the City of Omaha. The "Big Picture" objective successfully achieved and sustained by "elite," politically powerful and affluent White people remains: (1) keep the cesspool of "undesirables" attending Omaha Public Schools and living in "redlined" areas from contaminating their districts; (2) prevent minorities from creating their own school districts (LB 1024); and (3) maintain sovereignty of their own school districts. They've been extremely successful!       The Empowerment Network wants you believe, that between 2007 and 2022, they successfully coalesced churches, Omaha Public Schools, local businesses, real estate, etc., to collectively follow their "leadership" to reduce crime, unemployment, etc., especially as it relates to Black people in North Omaha (the perpetual focal point for criminal activity in Omaha), but there's no evidence to validate any targeted and sustained success. With regard to Black people, Omaha's perpetual "brand," remains unchanged. 1. Omaha Public Schools remains a cesspool, the worst performing K-12 public school district in metro Omaha. Between 2007 and 2022, what and how exactly did Omaha Police Chief Schmaderer and Willie Barney coalesce Omaha Public Schools to "improve" education and thereby reduce crime in Omaha, Nebraska? CLICK ABOVE IMAGE TO ENLARGE A current assessment of the public school districts for the six-(6) cities with populations immediately larger than Omaha and the public school districts of the six-(6) cities with populations immediately smaller than Omaha reveals the average graduation rate is 82.68 percent, and that OPS is below this average with a graduation rate of only 77% for 2019 (which actually dropped to 73.46% for 2020), with OPS ranked 10th among the 13 per school districts. U.S. POPULATION RANK SCHOOL DIST 2022 % GRAD % GRAD RANK 33 Fresno 85.10 6 34 Tucson 86.00 5 35 Sacramento 85.00 7 36 Mesa 82.00 9 37 Kansas City 74.90 11 38 Atlanta 84.20 8 39 Omaha 77.00 10 40 Colorado Springs 71.00 13 41 Raleigh 90.50 2 42 Virginia Beach 94.20 1 43 Long Beach 87.00 3 44 Miami 86.00 4 45 Oakland 72.00 12           AVG 82.68   QUESTION: Between 2007 to 2022, did the OPS graduation rate outperform the peer school districts above, or outperform local Westside Community Schools, Ralston Public Schools, Millard Public Schools, and Elkhorn Public Schools? RESPONSE: No.NO. 2. Black residents of Omaha have the highest rates of unemployment, from 12% to 30%, versus less than 5% for White citizens. 3. Black residents of Omaha have highest per capita poverty, especially Black children, as reported by the Omaha World-Herald in May 2007. Plus, As reported in the "2020 Nebraska Minority Population Report Card" by the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, according to the U.S. Census, there were 92,902 non-Hispanic African Americans in Nebraska in 2018. This number represented approximately 4.8% of the total Nebraska population and saw an increase of 13.4% between 2010 and 2018. Compared to the White population, 30.3% of the African American population is under the age of 15, 75.4% were younger than 45 years, and 6.8% were 65 years and older. The Empowerment Network reported there are only 27,173 Black people living in North Omaha. Numerically, 8,233 children or 30.3% of this population is under the age of 15. Additionally, the legal age of majority in Nebraska is 19, therefore, children between 15 and 18 must be included for an accurate data compilation and analysis. 4. Black youth are the highest number of incarcerated juveniles, which reconciles with harsher punishments against "students of color" in Omaha Public Schools than their white peers, leading to a higher number of youth of color incarcerated. Black and Hispanic students represent more than 70 percent of those involved in school-related arrests or referrals to law enforcement. Currently, African Americans make up two-fifths and Hispanics one-fifth of confined juveniles. 5. Black residents have the worst access to health care; Blacks comprise 4% of Nebraska's population but 35% of all HIV/AIDS cases! Blacks comprise 4% of Nebraska’s population, but are 35% of all the HIV/AIDS cases. Blacks in Nebraska have the highest rate for HIV/AIDS at 59.3 per 100,000 vs. 5.3 per 100,000 for white males. Black females in Nebraska have the majority of HIV/AIDS cases at 54%. STD/HIV/AIDS and obesity, diabetes, hypertension, cancer, and other diseases at epidemic levels throughout Nebraska’s Black community, but Whites have closed public access to health care facilities in the minority community. Source: 2007 Nebraska HIV/AIDS Epidemiological Profile by the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services >> 2009-2013 Report >> 2015 Report 6. Black residents have the lowest rate of new business growth 7. Black residents have the lowest rate of home ownership 8. Black residents live in or near the largest amount of historically “redlined,” abandoned, and poorly performing real estate 9. Black residents live in or near the most environmentally unsafe areas in Omaha containing a fully-functional coal plant and the largest lead superfund site in the U.S. 10. Black residents live in or near the most dangerous, criminally "unsafe" areas in Omaha. Given #1 through #10 above, and looking at the "big picture (below)," as originally conceived, defined, and established by "elite," politically powerful and affluent White people, Omaha Police Chief Schmaderer and Willie Barney have done absolutely nothing to change Omaha's strategically planned physical, economic, educational, racial, and political landscape; and they've done absolutely nothing to change the configuration and distribution of criminal activity in metro Omaha. As represented by the graphic below, Omaha's "brand," remains unchanged.
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"MAKE OMAHA GREAT AGAIN," REALLY? When was that? As researched and published by Clare V. McKanna, Jr. in "Seeds of Destruction: Homicide, Race and Justice in Omaha, 1880 - 1920," The Black homicide rate didn't fall between 1880 to 1920; that's 39 years, that's Omaha's "brand," and nothing has changed. As researched and published by the U.S. Department of Justice and the University of Nebraska-Omaha, "Criminal Justice Policy Focus, Number 91-1," between 1975 and 1989, 55% of homicide victims were Black, and the remaining 45% were White; that's 14 years, that's Omaha's "brand," and nothing has changed.
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The "tone" for crime and law enforcement in Omaha was not established when Omaha Police beat the crap out of unarmed Robert Wagner in 2011, or when Omaha Police beat the crap out of unarmed Octavious Johnson 2013; but the "tone" for crime and law enforcement was well-established in 1919 with the murder of Will Brown; and Omaha Police Chief Schmaderer, Willie Barney and local media, such as the Omaha World-Herald, have done nothing to address this "tone" except to bury it from the headlines.
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Despite the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights ninety-two-(92) page report, “Police-Community Relations in Omaha” from 1982, which was produced during Michael Boyle’s term as Mayor of Omaha, a reduction in Black homicides did not occur. Despite the creation of the “Community Policing and Special Operations Bureau” report, which was produced immediately before Hal Daub became mayor, during P.J. Morgan’s term as Mayor of Omaha from 1994, a reduction in Black homicides did not occur. Despite the report of former City of Omaha Public Safety Auditor Tristan Bonn's “Anatomy of Traffic Stops” from October 2006, a reduction in Black homicides and/or allegations of abuse by Omaha police did not occur. >> One of every four drivers pulled over by Omaha police officers in 2010 was Black. Omaha Police Department stops and arrests Black drivers at rates higher than their proportion of the population. Source: Martha Stoddard, Omaha World Herald, April 6, 2010. Plus, as documented in the report, "Anatomy of Traffic Stops," by former City of Omaha Public Safety Auditor Tristan Bonn, Omaha Police are decidedly adversarial toward Blacks. Again, one might expect peaks and valleys in crime data, but the well-established "norm" for Omaha is the perpetual increase in Black homicide victims, from 43.13% between 1880 and 1920, to 55% between 1975 and 1989, to 57% between 2007 to 2022; that's 142 years, that's Omaha's "brand," where the overwhelming majority of homicide victims are Black, and nothing has changed. You got that?
Keep this in mind . . . And without a change in wealth, the projected social outcome for Black people, including criminal activity, will never change. The Racial Wealth Gap 1860 - 2020 As researched by Derenoncourt, Chi Hyun Kim, Kuhn, and Schularick in their March 8, 2021 report, “The Racial Wealth Gap, 1860 - 2020,” the wealth gap between Blacks and Whites has never been abated, has only increased significantly; and if present trends in the data continue, the racial wealth gap is headed to a steady state with average White wealth at least five times greater than average Black wealth - even through 2260! Click the image at right to read the full report. Note: This data reconciles with "Seeds of Destruction: Homicide, Race and Justice in Omaha, 1880 - 1920."
Ultimately, despite expected peaks and valleys in data, the Empowerment Network primarily functions for media relations and very selective community engagement, but offers no tangible, measurable, sustained evidence of having "miraculously" reduced crime or having improved the socioeconomic status for the overwhelming majority of Black people living in metro Omaha. >> Black homicide rate (i.e., gun violence) has increase every year since 2016 - from 48% (2016) to 50% (2017) to 68% (2018) to 74% (2019) to 76% (2020)! >> Between 2007 and 2022, the average number of White homicide victims was 16; conversely, the average number of Black homicide victims was 20. Keep in mind, Omaha's Black population has ranged from 9% to 11% of Omaha's population, against a White population of 85% to 90%. Again, there will always be peaks and valleys, especially in the absence of obligatory blind obedience. Therefore, of greater importance is the norms, and if necessary, the implementation of strategies to reduce or eliminate norms that are not acceptable. Clearly, in Omaha, there has always been greater economic, educational, and cultural stability in areas populated by White people. Conversely, in Omaha, there has never been any economic, educational, and cultural stability in areas populated by Black people, which is why the per capita rate of homicide of White victims has never been as acute as the per capita rate of Black homicides. The "elite," politically powerful and affluent White people who created and sustain their sovereignty over all aspects of governance in Omaha, intentionally designed (redlined) Black people to live in areas with the absolute worst opportunities to advance economically, educationally, and culturally and Omaha Police Chief Schmaderer and Willie Barney have done nothing to change this dynamic. If Omaha Police Chief Schmaderer and Willie Barney had done "something" to eliminate the cesspool of Black existence in Omaha . . . >> the average number of White homicide victims would consistently be higher than the average number of Black homicide victims, but as validated by data for the past 142 years, that's never happened >> 80% of juveniles incarcerated in Douglas County Detention would be White, not Black and Latino >> Chief Schmaderer and Willie Barney's so-called "partnership" with Omaha Public Schools would propel and sustain higher graduation rates for Black male students equivalent to peer White male students >> Unemployment for Black people in North Omaha would not range from 12% to 30%, but mirror the White unemployment rate of less than 5% The Bottom Line: Omaha Police Chief Schmaderer and Willie Barney have done absolutely nothing to change Omaha's strategically planned physical, economic, educational, racial, and political landscape; and they've done absolutely nothing to change the configuration and distribution of criminal activity in metro Omaha. As captured in the following video, it remains the "status quo" of Omaha's "elite," politically powerful and affluent White people, primarily White men, to say and do whatever is necessary, to "flip-and-flop" on issues to intentionally, if not deceitfully, to manipulate the decision-making process.

A personal note . . .

As a former Human Resources Manager at the City of Dallas for ten-(10) years, I possess an extremely robust knowledge of all aspects of human capital management in urban municipal government. The character and scope of my responsibilities ranged from managing compensation and health benefits, to conducting job audits in every city department, recruitment and selection, providing support to the City Manager, etc. Plus, I routinely engaged and maintained positive interactions, personally and professionally, with both the Police and Fire Departments. I also: Conducted regional and national compensation and benefits surveys, job audits of Police and Fire dispatch operations, participated in ride-alongs, lead and participated in 5K, 10K, and team marathon races (at right) with sworn Police and Fire, and much, much more! Consistently found Dallas Police Officers to be great people, pragmatic, diligent, and as a Black person, I never felt devalued or intimidated. Plus, during my employment, the City of Dallas had great leadership, an assessment for which Omaha is not worthy. Conversely, my personal encounters with most Omaha Police Officers has not been pleasant, with both rank and command typically "handling" me in a manner I perceived as oppressive, abusive, dismissive, condescending, projecting gang-like "privilege" and acting "above the law," and as people who do not follow through on their commitments, and morally inept. As President/CEO/GM of Community Telecast, Inc., my work hours mirrored the daily broadcast operations of Channel 22 - 24/7/365. For several years, often once or twice a month, between 2:00AM and 5:00AM, while driving west on Ames from 30th to my residence near 52nd & Ames, an Omaha Police Officer would flash his lights, pull me over. Why? Supposedly, I was driving erratically, wandering between lanes. I told the officer very directly, "I was not driving erratically; I'm wide awake, and I don't drink. So, why did you pull me over?" From time to time my older brother, Everett, would be a passenger, and he'd say, "Trip, don't talk to him like that, he's gonna arrest us or worse, Trip. I told you to do like me, I know it's out of the way, but drive north to Sorenson Parkway." Of course, the officer(s) would run my plates and licence for criminal activity, then return to me and say, "Thank you, Mr. Reynolds, everything is okay." As President/CEO/GM of Community Telecast, Inc., in March 2012, I was filming a documentary on gang violence in Omaha. The gang member told me, "I can't trust Omaha Police, because they're dirty; they pick us up in our neighborhood then intentionally drop us off in neighborhoods controlled by other gangs. Omaha Police cannot be trusted." Note: This editorial will be updated when the unedited documentary, "Gang Violence in Omaha," is posted on YouTube.com. Nevertheless, as President/CEO/GM of Community Telecast, Inc., and with the respect I held for police at the City of Dallas, I elected to be objective, and beginning in 2008 through 2011, I initiated regular contact with the Omaha Police Department (Chief Eric Buske and Deputy Chief Hayes, etc.), and members of Omaha City Council, and the Omaha Police Officers Association inviting the Omaha Police Department to broadcast a program on Channel 22, which they would possess 100% control and at no cost, no commercials. The program would be OPD's exclusive content, and a "golden opportunity" to convey to citizens of Omaha "the character and scope" of how police in Omaha "protect and serve." Ultimately, my request went into limbo, the abyss of perpetual "no response" and indecisiveness consistent with the political machinations of the City of Omaha.		Question: What kind of "team spirit" do I bring to my employer? Response: I successfully and repeatedly lead teams of City employees in various athletic competitions [5k runs, track meets, fitness festivals, etc.] against other public and private sectors employers in metro Dallas. In one particular event, I ultimately persuaded the City Manager, Charles Anderson, who was not a runner, to run anchor in response to a one-mile relay challenge from another local municipality. I personally guaranteed the City Manager that he would have at least a quarter-mile lead and, yes, my team delivered! The City Manager literally walked across the finish line, very relaxed and proud of his team of City employees! In the photo above, the City Manager is noticeably dressed in a suite and tie, and that's me in the middle - surrounded by employees from Fire, Finance, Water, Police, etc. By the way, we also demonstrated the City's public commitment to health and fitness and pride about our place of employment.

As citizens of Omaha, we should respect law enforcement, and in a spirit of reciprocity, law enforcement should respect citizens; it should not be, it must not be a contentious relationship. Please, re-read the previous sentence.

Don't you think it's disingenuous, even deceitful when someone takes credit for something they did not do?

Some people want you to believe . . . anything. Instead, conduct your own due diligence and empirical analysis to deduce facts, proof, evidence, and validation.

You might promptly or eventually discover that what some people want you to believe is a bunch of crap.

With regards to:

ABC
CNN
KETV Omaha
Washington Post
New York Times
60 Minutes
City of Kansas City
City of Paterson, New Jersey
Magic Johnson
Nebraska State Senators for Omaha
Top 100 Largest Cities in the United States
Omaha Police Chief Schmaderer
Willie Barney

 

I welcome your feedback.

For "Trust" Part 1, click here.
For "Trust" Part 2, click here.
For "Trust" Part 3, click here.

 

Trip Reynolds
trip.reynolds@yahoo.com

Reynolds' Rap May 4, 2023 © 2017-2023 Tripoetry. All Rights Reserved. First Amendment to the United States Constitution - Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.