Citizens allege police misconduct

A coalition of groups has called on the U.S. Justice Department to investigate the Omaha Police Department, alleging that police have used excessive force, targeted racial minorities and are unaccountable to the community.

The Omahans for Justice Alliance sent a letter Tuesday to the Justice Department's civil rights division and U.S. Attorney Deborah Gilg, asking for the investigation.

Members of the group — including former State Sen. Ernie Chambers of Omaha, Nebraskans for Peace's Mark Welsch and emeritus University of Nebraska at Omaha professor Sam Walker — cited several recent cases, including a video of officers kicking a black man.

Police have said the man, Robert A. Wagner, punched an officer. Wagner has denied striking an officer.
Lt. Darci Tierney, a police spokeswoman, said some of the cases cited by the coalition have been reviewed, or are under review, by the Justice Department and FBI.

"We strive to be a transparent agency and if a citizen group feels the need for the Department of Justice to review these events, we welcome the review," she said in an email release.