by Travis Oetter

I had just finished working the presidential detail and completed a 16.5 hour shift, when I pulled in my driveway and turned off the police radio. Little did I know that just after I turned off the radio our worst nightmare was coming true at the Westroads Mall. An active shooter was on the rampage and our department was going to be put to the test. This kind of thing doesn’t happen in Omaha, right? As cops, we believe differently. It can and will happen in Omaha and is just a matter of when.

That "when" came on December 5^th, 2007. A troubled young man walked into Von Maur department store and began taking innocent lives with an assault rifle. Multiple law enforcement agencies arrived to handle the situation at Von Maur. Me, I was just crawling under the covers to get some much-needed sleep after being up for 23 hours. Unfortunately, like the rest of the public, I had to watch the local news after I got up to get the details. I also had to answer many phone calls from family members making sure I was okay and wondering if I was there. Of course, they were extremely glad I wasn’t involved; although, I feel the complete opposite.

For whatever reason, I feel extremely guilty for not being there. Not because I missed all the "action" but because I was not there to assist and back up my brothers and sisters in blue in a time of crisis. Maybe I feel guilty because I train hard and prepare for just such an incident and it infuriates me that I was not put to the test. Maybe it was because I was not there to back up my supervisor who was the first officer at the scene. Why didn’t I wait just five more minutes to turn off my police radio? Even though I was not there, these are feelings I will have to come to terms with.

Those feelings put aside, I am extremely proud of the members of the Omaha Police Department and the first responding officers who put aside their own safety and ran inside the store to take on an active shooter. Those who attended to the wounded and helped evacuate the innocent citizens caught in the worst day of their lives. You should be proud of the job you did even though it was not an easy task.

The first officer at the scene was Sgt. Steve Worley. He ran inside the store by himself! Sgt. Worley is a warrior and a prime example of what a true leader is and lucky for me, he is my sergeant. Isn’t that what a true leader is; somebody that you would follow through the gates of hell without a moment’s hesitation? Sgt. Worley deserves recognition for his bravery and the way he handled the situation. I am not saying this because he is my supervisor but because it’s true and well-deserved.

As I watched the video coverage on national television, I beamed with pride. I saw our officers arriving with rifles out and ready to react. I saw officers rushing innocent civilians to safety. I am proud of all the men and women that responded to this tragedy. From the supervisors to the PIO officers, to the SWAT team, to all of the other officers and agencies that assisted. Even though I was not there, I know you guys had it covered. That fills me with great pride.

We as a department should feel very proud. Omaha should take pride in its police department and know that when it hits the fan the men and women in blue are ready. They are ready to protect the citizens and respond with honor and pride. Maybe before the next time we’re criticized, those inclined to criticize will think of this incident and how it was handled and maybe – just maybe – cut us some slack.

We all work hard and risk our lives daily. December 5^th was no different. It showed us that the unthinkable can happen in Omaha and that we are ready as we can be. I personally thank all of you who were there and those who continue to work hard on this case. You should be proud! Our thoughts and prayers should go out to the families of the victims and the deceased.

On a final side note, those of you who have not attended the Response To Active Shooter training may want to reconsider. When I went through the training I kept thinking the whole time that I hoped that such an incident would never happen. Well, it did and I’m certain it helped those who did attend when responding on December 5^th. Hopefully, we won’t need to respond to something like this again, but if it does, now we know we’re ready and can handle it.

Everybody stay safe and keep up the good work. Hold your heads up and be proud

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