A push to make it easier to hide a handgun, so-called “Constitutional Carry” continues to move forward, still likely to become law in the near future.

It has also further exposed the continuing distrust between Omaha police and some of the city’s Black leaders.

[View our full video report above]

State Sen. Terrell McKinney:  “The police don’t care about Black people, if they did they wouldn’t do the things they do.”

Omaha State Sen. Terrell McKinney, backing the less restrictive concealed carry legislation, which OPD opposes.

Chief Todd Schmaderer, Omaha Police Dep’t: “There is no way to prevent the carrying of an assault weapon. So, you can walk around a populated city, outdoor venues of the College World Series, concerts, police crime scenes, places of protests. You get the picture. There is nothing we could do about it at that point in time.”

McKinney: 3:37 “No, I don’t want people with guns just going out and killing people and shooting up schools. Nobody does, not one of us. That’s crazy.”

Both McKinney and fellow Black lawmaker, Omaha’s Justin Wayne, are fighting a city ordinance, police want to keep.

It requires a concealed carry license for anyone carrying a gun in a car, even if the gun is in plain sight.

Wayne asking: “How many young African American and Latino kids are affected by Omaha’s gun laws?”

That questionable contact between Omaha police and Blacks was the subject of a recent NCN investigation:

As we first reported, on this stretch of Interstate 80, near the Omaha-Sarpy County line, exactly 30 days following the suffocation of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer—a murder which sparked Black Lives Matter protests in Omaha and across the country— a White Omaha police officer pulled over a Black woman and her passenger, her 20-year-old son.

NCN’s Joe Jordan: “Were your clients, were they scared?” 

Adam Sipple, Family’s Attorney: “Well of course they were scared. Especially when the officer pointed a gun at Mrs. Settles’ son, Elijah. The entire stop was scary because they were driving in the flow of traffic just like anybody else. They were in the left lane but not following anybody too closely. So yes, it was a very scary event for both of them.”

We asked for an on-camera interview with Chief Schmaderer to discuss all this, but were told our, “Request for an interview with Chief Schmaderer was not approved.”

OPD did tell us it has taken several steps to, “Ensure a similar issue does not occur in the future.” 

Which takes us back to the current debate: 

McKinney: “The Chief is arguing ‘Oh, our community won’t be safe’…would it be less safe because Black people can’t be targeted or disproportionately arrested by the police.”

So, McKinney is happy to fight for so-called “Constitutional Carry” because it eliminates that Omaha gun ordinance, which even the Chief somewhat reluctantly admitted can be used to send Omaha Blacks to jail.

Watch this recent exchange between McKinney and Schmaderer.

McKinney: “If LB 77 passes, would it potentially decrease the disproportionate amount of contact Black people have in Omaha with law enforcement? Yes or no.

Schmaderer: “I don’t think it decreases the disproportionate contact.

McKinney: What would it decrease?

Schmaderer: If you take it one, two, three steps further it may decrease the number of arrests.

McKinney: OK. So, the disproportionate amount of arrests of Black men and women in Omaha would potentially decrease.

Schmaderer: That particular data point could potentially decrease.”

Currently in order to carry a concealed handgun, you have to complete a training and safety class and pay $100 for a state permit, the new bill eliminates those requirements.

Presumably for every law-abiding Nebraskan, including thousands of Omaha’s Black men and women.

“Constitutional Carry” has passed the initial round of debate in the Legislature. Two more votes are needed to send it to the Governor’s desk.