Nine Omaha police officers, three sergeants and one deputy chief are all saying farewell to their days in law enforcement.

The retirement ceremony for the 13 officers was held Friday afternoon at police headquarters.

Among the retirees: a husband and wife team. Sergeant Don Barnes and his wife, Officer Jane Barnes, have a combined 44 years on the force.

Chief Eric Buske acknowledges the department lost a lot of experience through retirements but he says it hasn't affected public safety.

Buske says, "We have lost a lot of talent to retirements but there's still a lot of talent in the police department because we really work a team environment where experience and knowledge is spread among a group of officers working in a unit."

A new class of police recruits is in the works.