Chief of Police - Omaha, NE
The City
Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska with a population of 427,872. The city was founded in 1854 following the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act, by land developers from Council Bluffs, Iowa, just east of the city, across the Missouri River.
Land speculation was the most significant industry in Omaha until freight traffic came to the area aided by construction of telegraph lines.
The most significant event in the early development of Omaha was the passage of the Pacific Railroad Act in 1862. Today the Union Pacific Railroad corporate headquarters calls Omaha home.
Omaha is home to five Fortune 500 companies including Union Pacific – Berkshire Hathaway, ConAgra Foods, Peter Kiewit Sons’ and Mutual of Omaha Insurance.
Omaha is the headquarters of several other corporations including the Gallup Organization, TD Ameritrade, Werner Enterprises and First National Bank. (more)
The Lifestyle
Omaha’s cost of living is lower than the national average and its unemployment rate is currently right at four percent. It offers a diverse selection of cultural amenities, sports and recreation activities, open access to world-class healthcare facilities and both public and private schools, including more than a dozen universities and community colleges. (more)
Housing
Omaha is made up of more than 180 neighborhoods surrounded by suburban communities and rural neighborhoods. The metropolitan area covers eight counties in two states. There is an excellent supply of homes on the market throughout the city and its suburbs. Housing sales are strong with the median price for an existing home in Greater Omaha more than $30,000 less than the national average. (more)
Education
There is a strong commitment to education in Omaha. In fact, more than 91 percent of adults 25 and older are high school graduates while 33 percent have earned bachelor’s degrees or above, exceeding national averages.
That commitment also built a strong system of public school districts – more than 300 facilities spanning the eight counties. (more)
Healthcare
Consistently ranked in the top 10 healthiest states, Omaha residents credit that to the overall activity level of Greater Omaha residents and the superior and accessible healthcare options available.
The Greater Omaha health system includes 15 hospitals, including two teaching medical centers and Children’s Hospital and Medical Center. The University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) is a nationally recognized research facility that has dynamic programs in bioterrorism response, cancer research and transplantation. Since 1999, UNMC has added two new research facilities and a new transplant center at its midtown campus.
The Creighton University Medical Center offers similar nationally recognized programs and is known for conducting the highest quality research possible. Very few cities have two medical centers with the caliber of UNMC and Creighton.
Omaha is also home to five strategically located hospitals managed by Omaha’s largest healthcare employer, Alegent Health. More than $500 million in expansions has been invested in the healthcare in the past two years including Methodist Health System's Women's Hospital and West Dodge Medical Center. (more)
Culture
Omaha has a love of culture and the arts that would rival any major city on either coast. The Omaha Symphony calls the Holland Performing Arts Center its home. Opened in October 2005, this first-rate venue includes a 2,000 seat grand hall, a 400-seat recital hall and a semi-enclosed outdoor courtyard. Opera Omaha performs at the historic Orpheum Theater, constructed in 1927 and renovated in 2002 at a cost of $10 million.
Omaha is also home to the Omaha Community Playhouse, one of the nation’s largest community theaters, offering performances year round.
The Joslyn Art Museum is the area’s premiere art museum, but it is by no means the only museum. The Durham Museum – the restored art deco Union Station – showcases America’s love affair with the railroad and El Museo Latino, the first Latino Art & History museum and cultural center located in South Omaha is one of only 11 such museums dedicated to Latino art in the United States.
Loves Jazz & Arts Center explores the history and culture of African Americans in the arts and the Strategic Air & Space Museum is a treasure chest of World War II and Cold War aircraft and artifacts. (more)
The Government
Omaha has a strong mayor form of government, along with a city council that is elected from seven districts across the city. The current Mayor is Jim Suttle who was elected in May 2009. The City of Omaha is made up of twelve departments, including finance, police, human rights, and planning to name a few.
Crime
Omaha’s crime rate is also more favorable when compared to the national average. During the period between 2004 and 2008, the violent crime rate declined by 9.1 percent, while the nation average declined only 1.9 percent. More information and a complete breakdown of crime statistics for Omaha can be found on the Omaha Police Department Web site.