State Patrol Investigating Locally

The Nebraska State Patrol served a search warrant to the Kimball Police Department, Kimball County Sheriff’s Office, and the Kimball County Attorney’s Office on April 12. On April 21, the search warrant was filed in District Court and made available to the public.

Key to the warrant is an investigation into whether uncertified Kimball police officers were doing work that should have been done by certified officers.

The search warrant was issued on a written affidavit and executed to obtain “law enforcement documents to include but not limited to daily action reports, victim/witness/suspect interview reports, citizens contacts, case synopsis reports and all in progress and completed investigative reports” dating from Aug. 1, 2021, to April 12, 2023, of these members of the Kimball Police Department: full-time officer Andrew Lawson and trainees Joseph Leitz, Gregory DeWeese, Owen Elder and Rebecca Morrison.

The warrant specified “handwritten and/or computer automated dispatch records documenting officer daily logs to include but not limited to documenting officer locations, radio requests for service and officer actions and responses to requests of” the same individuals. The warrant also asked for written or electronic files, documents, photos, videos to include body camera and legal processes for the same officers and trainees.

A police trainee who made a sworn statement in an affidavit revealed that two trainees were given “uniforms and badges and placed on the city website with the title of officer attached to our names. We were given ID cards that told others we were certified officers in accordance with 81-1414. We were told to wear the uniforms and badges along with utility belts equipped with tasers.”

The trainee continued, “We interacted with the public, and were told to place orange tow tags on vehicles and trailers all over town. I was put in charge of every theft case for the entire town of Kimball, and told to interview all people that reported thefts. I was told to interrogate an individual in a private room at the police department after I was on a call for domestic violence to his residence.”

The trainee also said that they searched lockers and cars at the local high school at times and wrote reports on it.

In the affidavit, Nebraska State Patrol Investigator Cassie Martin said she gained information from her “investigation, personal observations, training and experience, and/or information related to her by other law enforcement officers and or agents.”

According to this affidavit, Martin also was assigned to investigate alleged misconduct of former Kimball Police Chief Andy Bremer, who resigned April 20. The affidavit provided an explanation for the search warrant stating, “Effective August 28, 2021, the passage of Nebraska LB 51 created several changes to the operation of law enforcement.” The affidavit continues to explain that noncertified officers must meet all requirements for admission to a training center and apply and enroll in the next training class. In addition, a noncertified conditional officer will interact with the public and carry a firearm only after specific hours of training in force, firearms, search and seizure, de-escalation, mental health, anti-bias and substance abuse.

In the affidavit, Martin said she is investigating the crime of Official Misconduct, NEB. REV. STAT 28-924, “where a public servant commits official misconduct if he knowingly violates any statute or lawfully adopted rule or regulations relating to his official duties, which is a violation of the laws of the State of Nebraska, in Kimball County, Nebraska.”