City officials have unveiled their plans for a new Omaha police precinct.
Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer, Mayor Jean Stothert and City Finance Director Steve Curtiss laid out the plans Tuesday morning.
Schmaderer says they hope to break ground next year near 209th and Cumberland Drive in Elkhorn and have it open in 2019.
He says the new precinct will help lower response times in western Omaha and provide equal coverage for all parts of the City. “Response time is one benefit, but what it does is it provides coverage in a uniform manner throughout the city.”
The "West Precinct" location was chosen for its proximity to potential westward expansion of the city and its easy access to Dodge Street. The new precinct will change the boundaries for the four existing precincts.
Primarily anything west of I-680 will be part of the new "West Precinct", the Northwest Precinct will be renamed as the "North Precinct" and the Southwest Precinct will be the "South Precinct."
The North and South Precincts will provide coverage to the areas between I-680 and 42nd Street, with Dodge Street as the divider.
East of 42nd will be served by The Northeast and Southeast Precincts.
Schmaderer says that the fifth precinct has been a long time coming. “It’s been on our radar really ever since I’ve become Chief.”
The number of sworn officers will need to increase to 900 by 2019 to accommodate the new precinct.
The land for the precinct will cost just under $1 million according to Mayor Stothert.
The project is projected to cost about $8 million. New cruisers, body cameras and various equipment will cost an estimated $1 million.
Schmaderer hopes for the building to be open in either 2019 or 2020, depending on construction.