The area’s top cops addressed members of the Lincoln City Council and Lancaster County Commissioners seeking support for their departments.
“We work hard to keep politics out of law enforcement,” Terry Wagner, Lancaster County Sheriff said. “I consider you folks politicians. I don’t consider myself a politician. I’m just a man that got elected.”
Members on a joint city-county meeting heard testimony from both Wagner and Lincoln Police Chief Jeff Bliemeister.
“The message of the protests is often lost in the attention instead directed toward the methods of law enforcement,” Roma Amundson, Lancaster County Commissioner said. “That is is what has happened here. This is the reason why we are here to discuss the training and management of law enforcement in general.”
Wagner doesn’t want decisions based on emotions.
“If we can keep politics out of law enforcement, that would really serve everyone better.”
Police Chief Jeff Bliemeister also spoke and answered questions.
“We had 168 applicants for the current spring class for 2021. If that applicant pool remains consistent that will be the lowest number applicants we’ve ever had in our profession,” Bliemeister said.
Bliemeister told leaders they’re reviewing their hiring and recruiting processes. Wagner added he thought due to the protests, there would be more applicants but there hasn’t been.
Common themes included staffing issues, strain and budgets.
Watch the full meeting.