The Omaha Police Department is expanding its online reach. The department launched a new YouTube series Wednesday aimed at educating residents about public safety issues.
The first episode features a driver being pulled over by an officer for speeding. It walks through several scenarios that could happen during a traffic stop.
“We're looking to try and put our message out there further, make things safer, more understandable for the community,” said Chief Todd Schmaderer as the department unveiled the six-minute clip before a group of community anti-violence advocates.
Police say there will be at least four more episodes. They worked with a group to determine which topics to cover. The list might include topics like the citizen complaint process and review board, filming police at work, and passenger responsibilities during traffic stops.
“Our ultimate goal is to prevent those conflicts and misunderstandings on the street where they can lead to someone getting hurt or arrested that maybe it didn't need to get to that point,” said OPD Captain Scott Gray.
Click the video link to hear from drivers about the initiative.
