Omaha's police chief has a promise for the people of Elkhorn.

If the annexation goes through, residents will have improved police protection.

This comes as most current Elkhorn officers are learning they have no chance of employment.

For Elkhorn store owner Leona Anderson the type of police protection she receives at her store, “Little Scandanavia,” is hard to beat.

"I love it when they come in the shop, look around, just to check on us. We feel like we are in very good hands," says Anderson.

But if Omaha’s annexation of Elkhorn is upheld, she's not sure it will stay the same.

Anderson says "I really doubt it. I really doubt it. I'm thinking we are going to have to do something about a different security system if it doesn't stay Elkhorn."

Omaha police chief Thomas Warren says Elkhorn's service won't be the same under Omaha police. It will be better.

Chief Thomas Warren says "We assert the fact that we will improve the quality of services that are being provided in Elkhorn as it exists today. The compliment of personnel will actually increase."

Here's how the chief's plan will work if the annexation goes through.

Currently Elkhorn has 13 police officers.

The city of Omaha will hire at most only six of them.

It says the others failed background checks.

That would leave the Elkhorn area with seven fewer officers.

The police chief says he'll fill those plus add two additional officers.

Those fifteen officers, the chief says, would patrol primarily what are the current city limits of Elkhorn.

But despite the plan for more officers, many still aren't convinced.

"The local police are just wonderful here and it's just a big question mark on whether that service will be continued," say Anderson.

As for when the nine additional officers would be hired the chief says it depends on when Omaha officially takes over Elkhorn if at all.

If the annexation is resolved soon, the new officers could be fit into the next recruiting class, which is set to begin training at the academy in May.

The city of Omaha would not elaborate on why seven out of the 13 current Elkhorn police officers did not pass a background check citing confidential personnel matters.