Chronicle: Law Enforcement Mental Health
NOW, FROM OMAHA’S NEWS LEADER. THIS IS KETV NEWSWATCH SEVEN’S CHRONICLE. YOU’VE LIKELY HEARD THE BUZZWORDS FROM THE HEADLINES OFFICER-INVOLVED SHOOTINGS, LAW ENFORCEMENT IN THE METRO ARE NO STRANGERS TO THOSE WORDS, AND THEIR MENTAL HEALTH HAS BEEN IMPACTED. THANKS FOR JOINING US TODAY. I’M BILL SHERMAN. TODAY’S CHRONICLE IS DEDICATED TOWARDS THE MENTAL HEALTH OF NOT ONLY THE VICTIMS, BUT THE OFFICERS AND PERPETRATORS AS WELL. 222 YEAR VETERAN OFFICERS WERE PART OF AN OFFICER INVOLVED SHOOTING EARLIER THIS MONTH. A WOMAN SLASHED THE FACE OF A CHILD IS AN EVENT THAT HAS MULTIPLE VICTIMS. CHRONICLE’S BETH CARLSON RECOUNTS WHAT HAPPENED ON THE MORNING OF APRIL 14TH AT AN OMAHA WALMART. OMAHA POLICE SHOT AND KILLED A WOMAN WHO SLASHED A THREE YEAR OLD ACROSS THE FACE WITH A STOLEN KNIFE OUTSIDE THIS WALMART. POLICE SHARED BODY CAMERA PHOTOS. WARNING. THESE PHOTOS ARE DISTURBING. THIS IS THE MOMENT OPD SAYS 31 YEAR OLD NOEMI GUZMAN HELD A BUTCHER KNIFE TO THE CHILD AND CUT HIM. THE CHILD’S PARENTS SAY KYLER WAS AT THE STORE WITH A FAMILY FRIEND. THE CARETAKER WAS ABLE TO CALL 911 AS THEY WERE FORCED OUTSIDE. THAT’S WHEN POLICE ASKED HER TO DROP THE WEAPON. THEY SAY SHE IGNORED COMMANDS AND TWO OFFICERS SHOT AND KILLED HER. THE SUSPECT IS DECEASED AT THE SCENE. THE CHILD IS BEING TREATED NOW AT THE HOSPITAL FOR A RATHER LARGE LACERATION ACROSS THE LEFT SIDE OF THE FACE. I SPOKE TO THE MOTHER OF THAT THREE YEAR OLD BOY. HE IS NOW WITH FAMILY AND RECOVERING FROM SURGERY. WE’VE ALSO CONFIRMED THAT GUZMAN WAS FOUND NOT RESPONSIBLE BY REASON OF INSANITY TO A 2024 INCIDENT WHERE SHE STABBED HER FATHER AND FLED AND BROKE INTO A NEARBY CHURCH. REPORTING IN OMAHA. I’M BETH CARLSON. WE TALKED WITH A FORMER OMAHA POLICE SERGEANT WHO SPOKE ABOUT WHAT AN EXPERIENCE OF THAT MAGNITUDE CAN DO TO AN OFFICER. THIS SOUNDS LIKE A WORST CASE SCENARIO FOR THOSE POLICE OFFICERS TO COME IN THAT PARKING LOT. THEY SEE A LADY WITH A KNIFE. THEY HAVE A THREE YEAR OLD AND A SHARPIE SHOPPING CART, AND NEXT THING THEY REALIZE THERE’S BLOOD AND THE LITTLE KID’S CUT. SO THESE OFFICERS HAD TO MAKE SPLIT SECOND DECISIONS. AND THESE OFFICERS ON THE STREET EVERY DAY MAKE SPLIT SECOND DECISIONS. AND THEY’RE HIGHLY TRAINED. BUT THIS IS A DAY THAT THEY’LL NEVER FORGET THE REST OF THEIR LIVES. THAT’S RETIRED DETECTIVE MARK LANEGAN. HE SAYS MENTAL HEALTH IS A HUGE PRIORITY IN SUPPORTING LAW ENFORCEMENT. THE DOUGLAS COUNTY SHERIFF IS SOUNDING THE ALARM ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH STRUGGLES ARE HANDLED WITHIN THE JUSTICE SYSTEM. CHRONICLES MADDIE AUGUSTINE INVESTIGATES THE TRENDS AND WHAT LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS ARE DOING TO RESPOND. IN THE PAST 30 DAYS, A THREE YEAR OLD BOY WAS SLASHED IN THE FACE WITH A KNIFE DURING AN ATTEMPTED KIDNAPING. A DOUGLAS COUNTY DEPUTY WAS SHOT. A REPEAT SEX OFFENDER WAS ALLEGEDLY FOUND IN THE BEDROOM OF A YOUNG BOY. AFTER BREAKING INTO THE HOME, AND A 36 YEAR OLD MAN WAS ACCUSED OF KILLING HIS FATHER. DOUGLAS COUNTY SHERIFF AARON HANSEN SAYS ALL OF THOSE INSTANCES INVOLVED A SUSPECT WITH A HISTORY OF MENTAL OR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH STRUGGLES. WE HAVE TO FIND A SOLUTION, AND THAT SOLUTION IS NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO SOLVE BY LAW ENFORCEMENT ALONE, HANSEN SAYS. IT’S BEEN A GROWING ISSUE, NOT ONLY HERE IN NEBRASKA, BUT NATIONWIDE. KETV INVESTIGATES LEARNED PEOPLE WITH MENTAL HEALTH STRUGGLES ARE OVERREPRESENTED IN JAILS AND PRISONS. THE NATIONAL ALLIANCE ON MENTAL ILLNESS SAYS NATIONWIDE, NEARLY 2 IN 5 PEOPLE WHO ARE INCARCERATED HAVE A HISTORY OF MENTAL ILLNESS. UNFORTUNATELY, JAILS AND PRISONS HAVE BECOME AMERICA’S DE FACTO MENTAL HEALTH FACILITIES. BUT THEY’RE NOT BUILT, FINANCED OR STRUCTURED TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES. SO HOW CAN THE ISSUE BE ADDRESSED? WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AT WHAT SERVICES CAN BE PUT IN PLACE, TO BE ABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS TO CARE WHILE THEY’RE SERVING THEIR TIME, BECAUSE THAT WILL HELP PREVENT RECIDIVISM LATER ON. JAMES MICHAEL BOWERS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF NAMI NEBRASKA, SAYS EXAMINING ACCESS TO CARE AND EARLY INTERVENTION IS ALSO KEY. WHAT ALLOWS PEOPLE TO GET ACCESS TO CARE BEFORE A CRISIS HAPPENS? AND WHAT IS THE APPROPRIATE LOWEST LEVEL OF CARE POSSIBLE FOR INDIVIDUALS? BECAUSE IT’S EASIER TO TREAT A CONDITION BEFORE IT TURNS INTO A CRISIS OR BEFORE DISASTER HAPPENS. HANSEN SAYS LAW ENFORCEMENT ALONE ISN’T THE SOLUTION. IT’S GOING TO TAKE COLLABORATION TO BUILD AND INVEST IN SAFE INFRASTRUCTURE. THERE WILL BE A COST TO THAT. BUT WHAT’S THE COST OF DOING NOTHING? WHAT’S THE COST OF STATUS QUO? THAT’S MADDIE AUGUSTINE REPORTING. ACCORDING TO THE OMAHA POLICE DEPARTMENT’S INCIDENT REPORT, STATISTICS FOR 2025 OPD OFFICERS RECEIVED OVER 45,000 INCIDENT REPORTS. HERE TO TALK MORE ABOUT THE MENTAL HEALTH TOLL OF BEING AN OFFICER AND THE CALLS THOSE FIRST RESPONDERS FACE IS DEACON AND OMAHA POLICE DEPARTMENT CHAPLAIN LONNIE DINEEN. LONNIE, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TODAY. THANK YOU FOR INVITING ME. LET’S START WITH WHAT IS THE ROLE OF A POLICE DEPARTMENT CHAPLAIN? THE GOAL IS BASICALLY TO STAY CONNECTED WITH THE OMAHA POLICE FORCE. WE TRY TO GO AND HAVE LIKE A 24 CHAPLAINS WHO ARE ON DUTY 24/7, 365 DAYS A YEAR. WE HAVE A VEHICLE ON THE RADIO, AND WE TRY TO STAY CONNECTED WITH THEM BY VISITING THE DIFFERENT PRECINCTS, HAVING A PERSONAL CONNECTION AND STUFF, STOPPING IN AT ROLL CALLS, WHATEVER WE CAN DO TO BE CONNECTED. WHENEVER THERE’S SOMETHING GOING ON SPECIAL, WE TRY TO BE THERE. YEAH, DOING AN INVITATION, A BENEDICTION, OR JUST BEING THERE BECAUSE WE FIND THAT THEY WON’T CALL US IF THEY DON’T KNOW US. AND OFTEN I’VE BEEN CALLED PERSONALLY WHEN I’M ON DUTY BY SOMEBODY BECAUSE THEY KNEW ME AND STUFF. AND SO WE TRY TO TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE POLICE OFFICERS. CHAPLAIN IS A VOLUNTEER POSITION. YOU GOT A COUPLE DOZEN OF YOU. WHAT TYPE OF PERSON DOES IT TAKE TO BE A CHAPLAIN? WELL, I WOULD SAY SPECIAL, BUT THEN THAT MIGHT HAVE TO INCLUDE ME AND STUFF. SO IT’S A PERSON THAT CONNECTS EASILY WITH OTHER PEOPLE. THEY’RE FRIENDLY, THEY’RE THEY’RE WILLING TO PUT THEMSELVES OUT AND KIND OF TO JUST HELP THEM. OTHER PEOPLE UNDERSTAND AND BASICALLY, GOD GAVE US TWO EARS AND ONE MOUTH UNTIL WE TRY TO LISTEN TWICE AS MUCH AS WE SPEAK. YOU KNOW, WHEN IT COMES TO MENTAL HEALTH, WHAT’S YOUR ROLE IN HELPING OFFICERS? OKAY. FOR THE MENTAL HEALTH OF THE OFFICERS, IT’S VERY SIMILAR TO THE REGULAR PUBLIC. WE TRY TO BE THERE AND WE KIND OF JUST IN CONVERSATIONS CAN PICK UP IF THERE’S SOMETHING TROUBLE THEM. WE’LL DO RIDE ALONGS TO GET CLOSER TO THEM AND UNDERSTAND THEM MORE, OR JUST TALK TO THEM OVER A CUP OF COFFEE OR SOMETHING TO SEE WHAT MIGHT BE A PROBLEM WITH THEM TRYING TO GET TO KNOW THEM SO THAT WHEN OR IF THEY HAVE A PROBLEM, THEY’LL CONTACT US. ONE OF THE DUTY DUTY CHAPLAINS, AND IF THEY WANT A SPECIFIC CHAPLAIN, WE’LL MAKE SURE THEY GET THAT CHAPLAIN AND STUFF. BUT WE JUST HELP THEM TO EVALUATE THEIR MENTAL HEALTH AND WHAT THEY NEED TO DO TO STAY MORE HEALTHY. AND IT’S NOT JUST OFFICERS, RIGHT? YOU PLAY WHEN TRAGEDY STRIKES, YOU’RE THERE FOR VICTIMS AND FAMILIES AS WELL, RIGHT? WE’RE THERE FOR THE PERPETRATORS AS WELL AS THE THE OFFICERS AND STUFF. AND SO, FOR INSTANCE, WE HAD A DEATH NOTIFICATION CALL. WE WOULD MEET AN OFFICER OUTSIDE OF THE RESIDENCE WHERE WE WERE GOING TO GO. WE WOULD WHEN THE OFFICER WOULD BE FIRST AND INTRODUCE THEMSELVES, AND THEN WE WOULD TAKE OVER AND TAKE CARE OF WORKING WITH THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE JUST LOST SOMEBODY OR BEEN IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. I IMAGINE PEOPLE GO THROUGH A WIDE ARRAY OF EMOTIONS WHEN SOMETHING LIKE THAT HAPPENS. YEAH, VERY MUCH FROM HYSTERICAL TO DISBELIEF, BLAMING OTHERS, BLAMING US. AND WE TRY TO GET THEM IF THEY HAVE A CLERGY OF THEIR OWN, WE TRY TO GET THEM CONNECTED WITH THOSE CLERGY IN THEIR PARTICULAR PARISH OR CHURCH AND STUFF. AND WE, WE, WE’LL STAY THERE FOR AS LONG AS NECESSARY. SOMETIMES WE’RE ON A CALL FOR LIKE THREE HOURS AT A TIME, RIGHT. YOU KNOW, WE’VE SEEN A FEW OFFICER INVOLVED SHOOTINGS SO FAR THIS YEAR WHEN HEAVY HITTING EVENTS LIKE THAT HAPPEN. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIFIC ROLE OR DO YOU SEE AN INCREASED NEED IN THE DEPARTMENT? THERE’S AN INCREASED NEED OVER THE LAST 20 SOME YEARS THAT I’VE BEEN INVOLVED IN STUFF. THE WORLD IS JUST GETTING A LITTLE BIT MORE CRAZY. I GUESS THAT’S AN OKAY TO USE WORD, BUT IT JUST WE TRY TO BE OUT THERE SO THAT WE ALWAYS HAVE CHAPLAIN ON DUTY, AND SO THEY’LL GET A CALL IF THEY NEED HELP, THEN THERE’S 2 OR 3 OF US THAT BACK THEM UP AND STUFF, BECAUSE IT’S A MASS THING. THEN WE NEED TO HAVE MORE PEOPLE ON, ON BOARD TO HELP TAKE CARE OF DIFFERENT THINGS. SO WE JUST TRY TO BE THE BEST WE CAN AND HELP THEM TO WORK THROUGH THE ISSUES, WHATEVER THEY ARE. YOU HAVE A BACKGROUND IN HELPING PEOPLE WITH MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES. BEFORE YOU WERE WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, FOR ANYBODY OUT THERE THAT THAT’S STRUGGLING WITH SOMETHING OR NOT SURE IF THEY SHOULD COME FORWARD, WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE THEM? I THINK IT’S IMPORTANT THAT IF YOU’RE STRUGGLING TO HAVE SOME HAVE AN ISSUE, SOMETIMES YOU DON’T EVEN KNOW WHAT THE ISSUE IS. BUT IF. IT APPEARS LIKE YOU’RE MORE TEARFUL TO WANT TO EAT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, JUST SOMETHING’S BOTHERING YOU, IT’S IMPORTANT TO TALK TO SOMEBODY, WHETHER IT’S A FRIEND, A CHAPLAIN, OR, OR YOUR CHURCH MEMBER OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. ANYBODY YOU CAN TALK TO, AND HOPEFULLY THEY CAN POINT YOU IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION TO GET SOME MORE HELP AND STUFF. BECAUSE WHERE WE GET INTO MOST OF THE PROBLEM IS IF THE MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES ARE NOT DEALT WITH EARLY ON, THEN THEY BECOME MORE ELEVATED AND MORE RISKY, AND OTHER THINGS BEGIN TO HAPPEN THAT AREN’T GOOD. IT’S NOT GOOD TO LET THINGS JUST BOTTLE UP INSIDE. IT’S KIND OF LIKE IF YOU TAKE A BOTTLE OF POP, TAKE THE CAP OFF, PUT THE HAND ON THE LID AND SHAKE IT UP, TAKE THE FINGER OFF, IT’S GOING TO EXPLODE. THAT’S THE SAME THING WITH THE FEELINGS AND EMOTIONS AND EVERYTHING ELSE THEY’RE GOING TO. IF THEY DON’T LET THEM OUT EASILY, THEY’RE GOING TO EXPLODE SOMETIME. THAT’S A GOOD METAPHOR FOR FOR WHAT PEOPLE GO THROUGH. NOW. THIS PROGRAM STARTED A FEW DECADES AGO. HOW HAVE YOU NOTICED THINGS CHANGE? WELL, IT STARTED BEFORE I WAS INVOLVED. I THINK IT STARTED BACK IN THE 60S AND STUFF WITH JOE FRIEND. I THINK HE WAS THE ONE THAT STARTED IT, BUT IT’S JUST GOTTEN MORE AND MORE IMPORTANT, MORE CRITICAL, MORE SERIOUS AND STUFF. AND SO. SOMETIMES WE WON’T GET A CALL. SOMETIMES WE’LL GET 3 OR 4 CALLS BACK TO BACK AND STUFF, BUT IT’S IT’S CHANGED SO MUCH. LIKE THE WORLD HAS CHANGED. YOU KNOW, THE WORLD IS NOT LIKE IT WAS 30 YEARS AGO. IT’S NOT LIKE IT WAS FIVE YEARS AGO. AND IT KEEPS CHANGING. SO WE HAVE TO CHANGE WITH THAT AND BE ABLE TO GO OUT AND, AND TALK AND BE ABLE TO BE WITH THE PEOPLE THAT NEED THEIR NEED, THEIR HELP, WHETHER IT’S A VICTIM OR PERPETRATOR OR AN OFFICER CHAPLAIN. WE ONLY HAVE ABOUT 30S LEFT. BUT HAVE YOU NOTICED MORE OF AN ACCEPTANCE NOW THAT MORE PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, MORE PEOPLE WILLING TO COME FORWARD? YEAH, BUT THERE STILL SEEMS TO BE AN ISSUE WHERE THEY DON’T WANT TO BE IDENTIFIED AS SOMEBODY WITH MENTAL HEALTH. YEAH. BUT AS WE SEE IN WORLDWIDE AND STUFF, THE MORE MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES COME UP, THEY’RE EXPLODING AND GETTING WORSE. AND SO THEY SEEM TO BE GETTING MORE OPEN TO BEING WILLING TO SHARE AND TALK AND GET HELP. AND THAT’S THE IMPORTANT THING, IS TO GET HELP RIGHT AWAY. CHAPLAIN, AN IMPORTANT CONVERSATION. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME THIS MORNING. YOU’RE WELCOME. GOD BLESS YOU. STILL AHEAD, VICTIMS NEED HELP TOO, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. LEARN WHAT RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE AS WE SIT DOWN WITH TH
You’ve likely seen the headlines, with buzz words like “officer-involved shooting.”Law enforcement members in the metro are no strangers to these words, and it’s impacting their mental health. Join Bill Schammert in today’s Chronicle, dedicated to the mental health of not only the victims, but also the officers and perpetrators, too.PART ONE: In the player abovePART TWO: PART THREE:
OMAHA, Neb. —
You’ve likely seen the headlines, with buzz words like “officer-involved shooting.”
Law enforcement members in the metro are no strangers to these words, and it’s impacting their mental health.
Join Bill Schammert in today’s Chronicle, dedicated to the mental health of not only the victims, but also the officers and perpetrators, too.
PART ONE: In the player above
PART TWO:
PART THREE: