OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Omaha police have revised policy on arresting protesters following the mass arrest of more than 100 peaceful protesters last month.
Mayor Jean Stothert unveiled the policy change during a news conference Tuesday to discuss coronavirus relief funding. Stothert said the revised policy requires officers to use body cameras to get pictures of each individual they arrest rather than doing mass arrests. Stothert said she asked Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer for the change and there wasn't enough evidence to charge 90 of the 100 people arrested.
The mass arrest on July 25 was criticized not only because protesters were peaceful, but because those arrested were held for hours in an already crowded jail plagued by a COVID-19 outbreak.
