Presiding Officer: Jill Slupe
Secretary: Nick Rosenberry
Chair of the Day: Matt McKeever
Invocator: Gene Klein
Cashier: Anne Fuhrman
Cashier: Anne Fuhrman
Sgt. at Arms: Lori Benton
Greeter: Kari Ketcham & Bonnie Gill
Speakers: Police Chief Todd Schmaderer & Fire Chief Dan Olsen with Police & Fire Honorees Police Detective David Preston Jr. and Firefighter Dustin Talacko
Speakers: Police Chief Todd Schmaderer & Fire Chief Dan Olsen with Police & Fire Honorees Police Detective David Preston Jr. and Firefighter Dustin Talacko
Firefighter Dustin Talacko
Fire Chief Dan Olsen will present Firefighter Dustin Talacko with the 2018 award on behalf of the Omaha Fire Department. Outside of his duties with the Omaha Fire Department, Firefighter Talacko teaches paramedic students, and has a young family. Following the Oct 1, 2017 mass shooting in Las Vegas, Firefighter Talacko proposed “Bleeding and Shock Kits” for every Medic Unit in Omaha to improve the Omaha Fire Department's ability to respond to such a tragedy, should it ever happen in Omaha. He proposed the idea to the Fire Chief, and was given the 'green light' to move forward with his project. Firefighter Talacko was tasked with finding donors for the items, along with ordering and building the kits, and delivering the kits to the Medic Units. Firefighter Talacko was successful in collecting $20K in donations from various organizations. He then ordered and organized all of the bleeding and shock kits, and delivered them to the stations. The kits will better prepare Omaha firefighters if there is ever a mass casualty event.Detective David Preston, Jr.
Police Chief Todd Schmaderer will present Detective David Preston, Jr. with the 2018 award on behalf of the Omaha Police Department. In January of this year he helped to identify and then arrest a suspect from a shooting. During this investigation he worked with Felony Assault Unit Detectives to go over the facts of the case. Detective Preston used phone records and social media accounts to develop a potential suspect. He reviewed police reports and witness accounts and developed enough probable cause for a search I arrest warrant. The shooter was arrested and valuable evidence was obtained as a result of Detective Preston's work. The case is pending trial. Detective Preston is not only a dedicated Detective but also a community mentor, leader and mentor in a number of roles: (1) He is leader in the Black Police Officers Association, helping to bridge the gap between the black community and the Omaha Police Department; (2) He is a coach for for PACE (Police Athletics for Community Engagement)- helping to bridge the gap between the youth and the Omaha Police Department, providing a role model/ coach for several youth; (3) He is a leader and mentor in the Operation NETS (Neighborhood Engagement Through Sports) Program - providing youth in the city with free basketballs, hoops, and nets; (4) He is a volunteer for Dusk to Dawn - a cooperative program with the staff at University of Nebraska Medicine for at risk youth; and, (5) He is also a Mentor at Raw Dawgs - a program for youth in North Omaha to keep kids safe and off the streets.
