The ACLU of Nebraska is joining community advocates in urging Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird to prioritize accountability and reform in the search for a new police chief.
The ACLU of Nebraska, the Black Leaders Movement, Change Now Lincoln, Pastor Janet Goodman Banks and Stand in for Nebraska sent a cosigned letter to Mayor Gaylor Baird, the Lincoln City Council and City Attorney Yohance Christie, urging an open and inclusive process that considers applicants who are dedicated to police reform and criminal justice reform.
“People of Lincoln deserve a process that is transparent and prioritizes the communities most impacted by intracommunity violence, over-policing, and police misconduct,” it reads in part.
The letter comes three days ahead of Lincoln Police Chief Jeff Bliemeister’s last day in the role and follows a year of historic racial justice demonstrations across Lincoln.