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More police officers, firefighters part of Omaha Mayor's 2016 budget plan

Omaha’s Police and Fire Departments will both add personnel in 2016 if Mayor Jean Stothert’s budget proposal is approved.

Stothert introduced her budget plan Tuesday. The $356.7 million dollar general fund budget includes funding for 840 police officers. If an annexation package before the Omaha City Council passes, Stothert says the Police Department’s sworn strength will increase to 851 officers.

The Mayor is confident that’ll meet the city’s needs.

“I asked Chief Schmaderer and his executive team to give me a three-year strategic plan on the numbers that he thinks the Omaha Police Department needs, including growth of the city. These are their numbers that they gave me. And so on top of that, with the annexation package that we’re presenting now, it’s so net positive that we can fund an additional 11 officers.”

It also includes a Fire Department recruit class of 15, bringing their staff to 657.

Mayor Stothert says the 2016 plan meets her goals, which include improving public safety and slowing general fund growth.

The 2016 budget proposal puts an additional $1 million in to job training and workforce development programs. It also would fully fund the city’s Human Rights and Relations Department. The Planning Department would add five inspectors.

An additional $1.1 million would go toward street repair and resurfacing, bringing that fund to $8.4 million.

A public hearing on the budget is set for August 11.