GOOD AFTERNOON. I’M DALAUN DILLARD. WE ARE JOINING YOU WITH COVERAGE OF A NEWS CONFERENCE BY OMAHA MAYOR JEAN STOTHERT, AND OMAHA CHIEF OF POLICE TODD SCHMADERER. THEY ARE ABOUT TO ADDRESS THE CIVIL UNREST WE WITNESSED LAST NIGHT NEAR 72ND AND DODGE. IF WE CAN GET SOME VIDEO TO SEE EVERYTHING THAT OCCURRED LAST NIGHT. POLICE USED TEAR GAS WHEN SOME IN THE CROWD. THIS ALL IS OCCURRING AFTER THE DEATH OF GEORGE FLOYD IN THE DIDDY OF MINNEAPOLIS ON THE VIDEO THAT WENT VIRAL. -- CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS. SO FAR, ONE MINNEAPOLIS OFFICER IS CHARGED. LET’S LISTEN TO WITH THE MAYOR HAS TO SAY. MAYOR STOTHERT: THERE WERE VIOLENT PROTESTS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY LAST NIGHT AND OMAHA WAS ONE OF THEM AT 72ND AND JOSH TO -- DODGE. ALMOST EVERY OFFICER IN OMAHA PUTS HIS LIFE ON THE LINE TO PROTECT AND SERVE THE CITIZENS OF OMAHA. THAT IS WHAT THEY DO DAY AFTER DAY. SOME OF THEM LOSE THEIR LIFE IN THEIR JOBS. WILSON, JASON PRATT, CARRIE ROSCOE, THOSE ARE JUST EXAMPLES OF OMAHA POLICE OFFICERS WHO ARE TRULY OUT THERE TO PROTECT AND SERVE AND TO PROTECT OUR COMMUNITY. RIGHT NOW, WE ALL HAVE AN ISSUE THAT WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH. WHAT IT IS, WHAT HAPPENED IN MINNESOTA WAS WRONG AND WE BELIEVE IT WAS WRONG. BUT WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IN OMAHA IS SHOW THE COMMUNITY THAT WE ARE STILL HERE TO PROTECT AND SERVE AND TO LISTEN TO WHAT OUR CONSTITUENTS AND WHAT OUR CITIZENS ARE SAYING AND TO CONTINUE WITH THE GREAT WORK THAT WE HAVE ACHIEVED IN OMAHA OVER THE LAST EIGHT YEARS. THE DIFFERENCE THAT WE HAVE HAD WITH GREAT COMMUNITY RELATIONS HERE. ANOTHER THING WE HAVE DONE IN OMAHA IS WE HAVE CREATED A CITIZEN COMPLAINT REVIEW BOARD. AS I SAID, I HAVE GREAT TRUST IN CHIEF SCHMADERER AND HIS COMMAND STAFF. HE TAKES IT WITH SERIOUS, HE INVESTIGATES, HE DISCIPLINES, AND HE HAS TERMINATED. THE CCRB’S EIGHT CITIZENS BORE THAT GOES A STEP BEYOND THAT. WE -- A CITIZENS BOARD. THEY FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE ANOTHER CHANNEL SO THAT THEY CAN INVESTIGATE WITH CITIZENS A COMPLAINT ABOUT AN OFFICER IN THE CITY OF OMAHA. WE HAVE WORKED VERY VERY HARD TO WIN THE TRUST OF THE COMMUNITY. I THINK THE COMMITTEE DOES TRUST THE OMAHA POLICE DEPARTMENT BUT WHEN INCIDENT LIKE THIS HAPPENED, WE HAVE A JOB TO DO AND WE WILL DO IT VERY WELL. I WILL ASK CHIEF SCHMADERER TO COME FORWARD RIGHT NOW AND SPEAK AND GO THROUGH THE EVENTS THAT HAPPENED YESTERDAY. AGAIN, I REALLY WANT TO STRESS, WE VALUE OUR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS. WE VALUE THE RIGHT TO ASSEMBLE PEACEFULLY, BUT WHAT HAPPENED LAST NIGHT AS IT TURNED VIOLENT, VIOLENCE DOES NOT HONOR GEORGE FLOYD. ANGER AND FRUSTRATION ARE NOT SOLVED WITH VIOLENT ACTIONS. LAST NIGHT FOR A WHILE, IT WAS A PEACEFUL DEMONSTRATION AND THEN IT DID TURN VIOLENT. WHEN PEOPLE TURN VIOLENT AND THEY DELIBERATELY DESTROYED PROPERTY, THAT IS WHEN THE POLICE HAVE TO MOVE FORWARD AND THEY HAVE TO ACT. WITH THAT, WE WILL BE HAPPY TO TAKE QUESTIONS LATER. CHIEF SCHMADERER IS GOING TO COME FORWARD AND HERE -- HE IS GOING TO GO THROUGH THE EVENTS LAST NIGHT AND WE WILL ALL BE AVAILABLE TO ANSWER YOUR RUSSIANS AFTERWARD. THANK YOU. -- ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS. CHIEF SCHMADERER: GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE. I WILL GIVE A BRIEFING ON THE PROTEST ACTIVITIES LAST NIGHT ON 72ND AND DODGE. BUT BEFORE, SOME PREAMBLE COMMENTS. ALL OF THE POSITIVE COMMENTS THAT I HAVE CONSISTENTLY MADE ABOUT OUR GREAT COMMUNITY CONTINUE TODAY. OMAHA HAS MADE GREAT STRIDES TOWARD POLICE COMMUNITY RELATIONS, CRIME REDUCTION AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS. I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE FORWARD AS WE STRIVE TO GET EVEN BETTER. I UNDERSTAND THAT SEEING A POLICE OFFICER IN UNIFORM EVOKES A LOT OF EMOTIONS FOR MANY. THE WAY WE RESPOND IN OMAHA IS TO PROVIDE IMPARTIAL ETHICAL AND PROFESSIONAL POLICING SERVICES IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR COMMUNITY. IT ALSO MEANS THAT WE WILL SEE OTHER POINTS OF VIEW AND WE WILL STRIVE TO MAINTAIN THE TRUST AND CONFIDENCE OF OUR COMMUNITY THAT HAS BEEN SO SUPPORTIVE OF US. I WANT TO THANK A FEW OF OUR PARTNERS FROM LAST NIGHT BECAUSE THEIR INVOLVEMENT AND COOPERATION WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WAS TREMENDOUSLY IMPORTANT TO A SAFE RESOLUTION OF LAST NIGHT’S EVENTS. THE NEBRASKA STATE PATROL, I WANT TO THINK THE COLONEL AND ALL OF HIS PEOPLE, THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE OF DOUGLAS COUNTY AND ALL OF THE DEPUTIES, SARPY COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE, SHERIFF DEPUTIES -- SHERIFF DAVIS AND HIS DEPUTIES. I WANT TO THANK THE LA VISTA POLICE DEPARTMENT. I WANT TO THANK OUR OMAHA PUBLIX WORKED -- PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT. I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE GOVERNOR FOR HIS SUPPORT AND I APPRECIATE THE PHONE CALL THAT HE AND I HAD THIS MORNING AND THE SUPPORT COMING FROM THE STATE. MOST OF ALL, I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE OMAHA POLICE DEPARTMENT, NEBRASKA STATE TROOPERS AND SHERIFF DEPUTIES WHO ADAPTED PROFESSIONALLY LAST NIGHT UNDER EXTREME CONDITIONS. MAYOR STOTHERT AN EYE WERE IN -- AND I WERE IN CONSTANT COMING OCCASION. I WAS AT THE COMMAND POST AND I ASKED THE MAYOR NOT TO COME DOWN BECAUSE AT SOME POINT THIS BECAME A PURE LAW-ENFORCEMENT OPERATION AND THE CONDITIONS WERE NOT SAFE. WE WERE IN CONSTANT CONTACT FROM START TO 2:00 IN THE MORNING, IF NOT, LONGER. LET ME GIVE YOU A CHRONOLOGICAL RUNDOWN OF WHAT TOOK PLACE LAST NIGHT. AT 5:30 P.M., WE ASKED ALICE A COMMAND POST AND OFFICERS WERE ON SCENE WITH THE PURPOSE OF FACILITATING A PEACEFUL DEMONSTRATION, A PEACEFUL RALLY, A PEACEFUL EXPRESSION OF THOUGHTS. THAT WAS OUR MISSION. WE WANTED TO ENSURE EVERYONE HAD THEIR FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHT, WE WANTED THAT TO TAKE PLACE. AT 6:30 P.M., THERE WAS AN ESTIMATED 600 PEOPLE IN ALL FOUR CORNERS OF 72ND AND DODGE. AT 7:25 P.M., 60 TO 70 PEOPLE ENTERED THE STREET AND BLOCKED WESTBOUND TRAFFIC. AT 7:36 P.M., ROCKS WERE THROWN AT OFFICERS, BOTTLES WERE THROWN, AND NEBRASKA STATE PATROL CRUISER WAS SURROUNDED AND HAD PEOPLE ON TOP OF IT. THIS WAS WHEN LAW-ENFORCEMENT ATTEMPTED TO START TO RESTORE ORDER. AT 8:03 P.M., A CITYWIDE CALL FOR ASSISTANCE AS AN OFFICER WAS PUT OUT AS ADDITIONAL RESOURCES WERE NEEDED. POLICE CRUISERS WERE SURROUNDED AT THIS TIME. AT 8:20 P.M., OUR RAPID DEPLOYMENT FORCE, I HEAR THE TERM RIOT POLICE, WE CALL IT RAPID DEPLOYMENT FORCE. THEY WERE IN THE AREA AND FOR THE NEXT SIX HOURS, THEY WERE DEPLOYED AND ASSISTED TO ATTEMPT TO DISPERSE THE CROWD AS SAFETY HAD NOT BEEN COMPROMISED AT THIS POINT. AT THE HEIGHT OF THE CROWDS, IT WAS ESTIMATED THAT THERE WERE OVER 1000 PEOPLE. ONE OTHER HIGHLIGHT, 10:01 P.M., TARGET WAS CONTACTED BY THE CROWD AND WAS ATTEMPTED TO BE REACHED. OFFICERS AND STATE PATROL PERSONNEL SECURITY THAT AREA AND SOME OF THE OTHER AREAS TO PREVENT PROPERTY DAMAGE INCIDENT. PEPPER BALL AND TEARGAS WERE DEPLOYED. WE FINALLY GOT CONTROL OF THE INCIDENT AT ABOUT 2:00 IN THE MORNING. FROM LAST NIGHT, THERE WERE 21 ARRESTS MADE FOR VARIOUS CHARGES RANGING FROM DISORDERLY CONTEXT TO FIREARMS POSSESSION TO FAILURE TO DISPERSE -- DISORDERLY CONDUCT, DISCRETION -- DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY, CARRYING ILLEGAL FIREARMS, ETC.. OUT OF THOSE 21 BOOKS, 16 WERE WHITE, THREE WERE BLACK, TWO WERE HISPANIC. THE OMAHA POLICE DEPARTMENT DID A CANVAS OF BUSINESSES IN THE AFTERMATH. WE NOTED 12 BUSINESSES OF DAMAGE . FACTORY SUNLIGHT OUTLET HAD $1200 WORTH OF DAMAGE TO WINDOWS. HOBBY LOBBY HAD $2000 WORTH OF DAMAGE TO THEIR WINDOWS. SEARS HAD WINDOWS BROKEN OUT. THEY ALSO HAD SOME GRAFFITI ON SOME OF THEIR WINDOWS, $4000 TO 5000 THOSE WORTH OF DAMAGE. VERIZON STORE HAD BROKEN WINDOWS, WE ESTIMATE $2000. HOBBY LOBBY HAD BROKEN WINDOWS ESTIMATED AT $2000. BEST BUY HAD THREE BROKEN WINDOWS ESTIMATED AT $1500. SMITTY’S GARAGE, BROKEN GLASS DOORS AND WINDOWS ESTIMATED AT $1500. BUCKY’S, 76TH AND DODGE, WINDOWS BROKEN, PROPERTY STOLEN, INVENTORY STOLEN FROM INSIDE THE STORE, ESTIMATED $1500 DAMAGE. PETCO, ONE WINDOW BROKEN, $1000. CLICK SHOP, 75TH AND CASS, AND TARGET HAD THEIR WINDOWS BROKEN, ESTIMATED $3000 DAMAGE. VALLEY GREENHOUSE, SOME DAMAGE TO THE POT AND PLANT INVENTORY, WE DON’T HAVE A PRICE TAG ON THAT. THAT IS A RUNDOWN OF THE PROPERTY DAMAGE ESTIMATE FROM LAST NIGHT. THERE WERE 12 POLICE CRUISERS DAMAGED. ONE OF THEM HAD THE WORDS IS CARVED -- ISIS CARVED IN THE REAR OF THE CRUISER. MOST IMPORTANTLY, THINGS COULD HAVE BEEN WORSE, BUT THINGS TURNED OUT TO BE OK. WE HAD ONE CIVILIAN INJURY REPORT OF A MINOR NATURE. THERE COULD HAVE BEEN MORE. WE HAD TO INJURED OFFICERS THAT WERE DOCUMENTED. WHEN SAFETY IS COMPROMISED AND LAWLESSNESS STARTS, THAT WILL BE SEPARATE AND DISTINCT FROM THE ORIGINAL MATTER THAT BROUGHT EVERYBODY TOGETHER. THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, WE HAVE TO REACT TO THAT. OUR MISSION IS TO DO IT PROFESSIONALLY, LEGALLY, AND APPROPRIATELY. THERE WAS A PROFESSIONAL WAY TO POLICE IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES. TAKE TIME OUT OF YOUR LUNCH WHEN A YOUNG CHILD INTERFERES OR INTERRUPTS YOUR LUNCH, THERE WAS A PROFESSIONAL WAY. THERE WAS A PROFESSIONAL WAY TO MAKE AN ARREST. THERE WAS A PROFESSIONAL WAY UNDER THOSE EXTREME CIRCUMSTANCES WHICH LAW ENFORCEMENT HAS TO USE FORCE OR TOO CAR -- TOW A CAR. THERE WAS A PROFESSIONAL WAY TO HANDLE ALL OF THAT. FROM MY VIEWPOINT, I FELT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND OUR AGENCIES HANDLED THE EVENTS PRESENTED TO US IN THE MOST PROFESSIONAL MANNER WE POSSIBLY COULD. THE MAYOR AND I ARE AVAILABLE FOR COMMENTS SO I WILL STAND AT THE PODIUM FIRST IF YOU HAVE SOME FOR ME, BUT THE MAYOR IS AVAILABLE. I WILL GO TO CHRIS BAKER FIRST. >> THE PEOPLE THAT WERE ARRESTED, YOU KNOW HOW MANY ARE FROM OMAHA AND HOW MANY ARE FROM OUT OF TOWN? >> I DON’T, BUT I WILL BE HAPPY TO PROVIDE THAT. THEIR ADDRESS WOULD BE ASSOCIATED WITH ARREST DATA SO WE CAN GET THAT OUT TO EVERYBODY HERE. >> TONIGHT THERE WAS A POSSIBILITY OF MORE PROTESTS. DO YOU HAVE A MESSAGE ABOUT THAT? >> I DO. IN MY OPINION, I HAVE BEEN DOING THIS FOR ALMOST EIGHT YEARS, OMAHA IS A FABULOUS COMMUNITY AND I MAINTAIN THAT AND I ALWAYS WILL. WE ARE WORKING THROUGH SOME TOUGH TIMES IN THIS COUNTRY AND OMAHA IS NO DIFFERENT THAN ANYBODY ELSE. IT IS UNDERSTANDABLE, THE ANGER. WE ARE GOING TO BE PREPARED, WE WANT EVERYONE TO HAVE A PEACEFUL PROTEST, PEACEFUL RALLY, PEACEFUL EXPRESSION OF IDEAS AND WE ARE GOING TO BE THERE TO TRY TO FACILITATE THAT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE WITHOUT STIFLING ANY FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS, FREEDOM OF SPEECH IS SOMETHING WE ENCOURAGE EVEN IF IT IS DIRECTED AT US. WE UNDERSTAND WHAT IS GOING ON. WE SEE THAT SIDE OF YOU OF THE ANGER AND TENSION ACROSS THE COUNTRY. WE WILL BE THERE TO FACILITATE THAT AND WE WILL BE THERE TO AFFECTIONATELY INTERVENE IF WE NEED TO IF SAFETY IS COMPROMISED AND IT BECOMES A UNSAFE AND LAWLESS SITUATION AND THAT IS WHAT WE ARE TAXED TO DO -- TASK