In a letter to the Justice Department, Omahans for Justice Alliance and the American Civil Liberties Union list nine separate incidents where they accuse police of gross misconduct and brutality.
At the top of the list is last year’s arrest of 35-year-old Robert Wagner, where nearly a dozen officers (see video below) are seen on tape kicking and tasering Wagner in a hospital parking lot.
According to the letter Omaha police routinely use deadly or severe force, disregard state law, and arrest individuals who’ve done nothing wrong.
The complaint also notes that since 2006—when the Public Safety Auditor Tristan Bonn was fired—the department “has been without any independent citizen oversight.”
Community activist Willie Hamilton says the request is a “long time coming.”
The Justice Department has been asked to investigate similar complaints in the past but according to Bonn this time is different.
“We’ve got the video.”
In addition to the Wagner case the groups note the 2010 death of Justin Watson who was on drugs when he was arrested. According to the complaint Watson “would not have died had he not been beaten by police.” A grand jury investigation cleared police of any wrongdoing.
There are unconfirmed reports that two of the nine officers involved in Wagner’s arrest last May have been fired. But because of the city’s secrecy clause no firings, suspensions or other possible disciplinary actions have been made public.
Officials with the Omaha Police Department were not immediately available for comment.
Reported by Joe Jordan, joe@nebraskawatchdog.org