ACLU of Nebraska calls for stepped up "anti-bias" training for law enforcement officers

LINCOLN — A leading civil rights organization is calling for stepped-up “anti-racial bias” training for Nebraska law enforcement officers after finding that few get extensive instruction.

The ACLU of Nebraska, in a report released Friday, said its survey of law enforcement agencies in the 12 most populous and racially diverse counties in Nebraska found that one-third of the departments do not have a legally required written anti-bias policy and that very few officers received comprehensive anti-bias training.

Rose Godinez, legal and policy counsel for the ACLU of Nebraska, said the Omaha Police Department and the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office offer in-house training on state anti-bias policies but do not provide more extensive, “implicit” anti-bias training that delves into a person’s unconscious biases and is delivered by a certified trainer.

“The lack of robust anti-bias training is deeply concerning as racial disparities in traffic stops continue to increase in Nebraska,” Godinez said.

Read more: https://www.omaha.com/news/metro/aclu-of-nebraska-calls-for-stepped-up-anti-bias-training/article_4f32f82f-9e79-57f3-84f8-f1f7254023f2.html