Congratulations to Ken Kanger our most recent inductee into the National Society of St. Florian and St. Michael.
Today we honor Deputy Chief Ken Kanger. Deputy Chief Ken Kanger began his work with the Omaha Police Department in 1997 as a Police Officer. He has worked in the Uniform Patrol Bureau in the Northwest and Northeast Precincts, as well as the Criminal Investigations Bureau in the Special Victims Unit, Homicide Unit and Narcotics Unit.
He was promoted to Sergeant in 2007 and assigned as a supervisor in the Northeast Precinct of the Uniform Patrol Bureau, and then was assigned to the Homicide Unit of the Criminal Investigations Bureau. He was promoted to Lieutenant in 2010 and assigned to the Crime Analysis Unit. In 2012, he was assigned to the Gang Unit where he saw the opportunity to work with youth through intervention and prevention to keep kids from becoming involved in criminal activity or becoming victims of violence.
He was promoted to Captain in 2017 and was assigned to command the Special Operations Section of the Criminal Investigations Bureau, which includes both the Gang and Narcotics Units. He now serves in the role of Deputy Chief, overseeing the entire Criminal Investigations Bureau.
Deputy Chief Kanger sees the potential in the youth of our community. He strongly believes in the message set by Inky Johnson, a former college football player who was injured and turned his injury into motivation for himself and others. Johnson tells people to “empty the bucket”, to give everything you’ve got. You can see Deputy Chief Kanger spreading this message in our community.
Deputy Chief Kanger serves our community on the baseball field as a volunteer coach for PACE (Police Athletics for Community Engagement). He strives to give our youth an outlet for success through positive interactions and activities. He has helped establish and participates in a growing initiative called Operation NETS (Neighborhood Engagement Through Sports) which replaces torn neighborhood basketball nets with new ones and provides new sports equipment to at risk youth. He is also a coach through Operation NETS. It is reported he builds relationships with kids and the community. He truly cares for people and his actions speak volumes. Just spend a few minutes with Deputy Chief Kanger and you will see it for yourself.
Deputy Chief Kanger received the Metropolitan Chief’s Association Leadership Award and the Kerrie Orozco Award for Community Service in 2017. He was the Crime Stoppers Jack Swanson – Lloyd Grimm Officer of the Year in 2003. He’s also involved with Gesu Housing, Abide, Coalition RX and he is a consistent presence at Omaha 360.
Deputy Chief Kanger was nominated by a kind citizen who wanted to see him recognized for his commitment to public safety and bettering the community.
Deputy Chief Kanger subscribes to one motto, “Life has no remote. Get up and change it yourself”.
We thank Deputy Chief Kanger for his dedicated service to the city of Omaha and for making a difference in the lives of so many in our community. Again, congratulations Ken!
Nominate your hero to receive this outstanding recognition. Nominees receive a Personalized Certificate and a two-sided Saint Florian and Saint Michael Challenge Coin in a showcase box. Click here to learn more.
Over the past 11 years the First Responders Foundation has delivered over 10,000 lunches to thank our first responders to let them know how much we appreciate their dedication and commitment to the citizens of our community. We call this effort ‘Appreciation Lunch Day’ and it happens the first week of June each year. It is a huge task and we could not do it without our valuable partners and dedicated volunteers who make it all happen.
To get kids involved, every year we reach out to different schools to decorate lunch bags for us to put the lunches in for delivery. The lunch bags highlight the impact that first responders have on our youth. The pictures that the kids draw, and the messages of admiration and appreciation are inspiring. We have been told by the first responders that this is one of the things they look forward to the most each year. A special thanks to the students of 
