Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert announced last Thursday that former Omaha Police Chief Thomas H. Warren Sr. has been selected as her new chief of staff, succeeding Marty Bilek.

Warren – who is expected to officially begin July 1 – served 24 years with the Omaha Police Department, including four as chief, retiring in 2008. He is currently the president and CEO of Urban League Nebraska.

Warren replaces Bilek who served in the role for Stothert’s first two terms. Prior to working for Stothert, Bilek worked for the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office for 38 years, including the last 11 as chief deputy.

“I am excited to become reengaged with city government in support of Mayor Stothert in this administration,” Warren said. “I appreciate being considered for this appointment and I look forward to working with the other cabinet members, Mayor’s staff and establishing relationships with the elected officials in the role of chief of staff. Omaha is a great city, and this position will provide me with an opportunity to continue my service to this community.”

Warren graduated from Omaha Technical High School before earning degrees from Morningside College in Sioux City, Iowa, and the University of Nebraska at Omaha. He also graduated from the FBI Executive Institute Leadership Development Training Program.

The pairing is significant in that it matches Warren, Omaha’s first Black police chief, and Stothert, the first woman to serve as mayor of Omaha.

“Tom Warren is a proven and respected leader with an outstanding record of public and community service,” Sothert said. “His background in public safety, community engagement and public policy aligns with the priorities of my administration. He will provide valuable leadership to support our goals to make Omaha a safe, growing and financially strong community for our taxpayers that is diverse, inclusive and offers opportunities for everyone.”

Stothert said she thought of Warren as soon as Bilek informed her of his decision to retire.

“As soon as Marty Bilek announced to me that he was going to retire, we up here kind of put our heads together and Tom’s name rose to the top immediately,” she said. “Public safety is my number one responsibility. (Bilek) was excellent at helping me with law enforcement police issues, public safety issues, very good in the legislature, especially with public safety bills. I knew that to replace what he did for this team, I really wanted someone with a background and experience in law enforcement.”

Warren has signed a professional service contract effective July 1, 2021, through May 31, 2025, contingent on City Council approval. His compensation will be $150,000 the first year with 3% increases each subsequent year. He will not receive city benefits but will continue to receive a city pension of $8,942.67 monthly, earned from his time with OPD. His contract is on the council’s agenda for a first reading today.

Warren serves on the board of directors of the Omaha Chamber of Commerce, Partnership for Kids, Durham Museum, Omaha Police Foundation, the University of Nebraska Foundation and American National Bank.

Stothert had appointed Warren to the Metropolitan Entertainment and Convention Authority board of directors in 2020. Warren will resign from that position and Stothert will appoint a new member to finish the term.

Warren said he’s proud of his time as police chief and believes that experience will help him in his new role.

Warren talked about his time as chief, highlighting the department’s compliance with federal rules about the number of Black, Latino and female officers on staff. Over the course of 300 hires, he said, Omaha’s police force became “one of the more diverse police departments in the United State for a municipal law enforcement agency our size.”

“When we talk about commitment to diversity and inclusion, I think it’s just as important that you have underrepresented minorities in positions of leadership, so that when you have recruits that go into a work environment, and see that there’s opportunity for advancement — that’s what it would take to attract and retain the next generation of leadership,” Warren said.

As with the Bilek selection, Sothert again selected an Omaha native with an extensive law enforcement background, which figures to be critical given the current climate of policing nationally.

“With the movement going on across the country with police reform, I can’t think of anybody better to be working with the Law Department, with the Police Department, with the entire city to help us through this,” Stothert said. “Tom will be a real asset.”