Each meeting of the anti-violence Omaha 360 task force begins with a report by Omaha police captains on the previous week’s gun assaults in north Omaha.
But the discussion quickly turns to how to prevent the next shooting.
During a May meeting, police officials pinpointed a neighborhood near 60th and Hartman as a recent hot spot for violence. Volunteers were sought to go door to door handing out cards with the Omaha Crime Stoppers phone number and “resource bags,” packets of materials letting residents know about job-training programs, after-school activities for kids and other assistance programs.
“Let’s stand with Hartman,” said meeting moderator Willie Barney.