Resources on Police Violence in Nebraska Following Police Shooting of Kenneth Jones in Omaha

Last week, Omaha police officers shot and killed Kenneth Jones, a 35-year-old Black man, who was a passenger in the backseat of a car that was pulled over by uniformed officers during a traffic stop. According to NBC News, police fired four shots at Jones after “struggling” to get him out of the car. Protests formed after the shooting where organizers called for the release of the bodycam footage.

Data from Mapping Police Violence shows that between 2013 and 2019, 32 people were fatally shot by police in Nebraska. Black people in the United States are nearly three times more likely to be shot and killed by law enforcement than their white counterparts, and most people killed by police are killed with guns.  

Research suggests that implementing specific use-of-force policies can save lives. One 2016 study of 91 large police departments found adoption of use-of-force reform policies was associated with fewer people killed by police. Other policies included in the study included exhaustion of other means prior to shooting, bans on chokeholds and strangleholds, use-of-force continuum, duty to intervene, warning before shooting, and restrictions on shootings at moving vehicles. 

Meaningful use of force policies encourage de-escalation, utilize early intervention systems, and ensure that officers who break the law are held accountable. Use of force policies like these help advance safety and promote trust in the police.