OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — Last week, we heard from the city's Police Chief and Mayor on the city's immigration policy, specifically regarding policing. Now, reporter Molly Hudson is talking with the Douglas County Sheriff's Office about how it operates.
- DCSO says the office doesn't keep a database with immigration status and the only time they ask is when an arrest is made.
- The form deputies fill out during that process asks if the person is a citizen or not.
- Last week Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer said his officers will not ask for immigration status during encounters with the public, only after an arrest is made.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
This security image from the Douglas County Sheriff's Office shows ICE agents taking Natanael Topete-Perez into custody.
The Sheriff's Office says Topete-Perez had an expired visa and was arrested and charged after they believe he stole tools from construction sites.
"Our investigators were in communication with local HSI agents who were looking for Mr. Topete-Perez in relation to his immigration status," said Will Niemack, Chief Deputy of Operations, Douglas County Sheriff's Office.
Following this detainment Tuesday, reporter Molly Hudson sat down with Chief Deputy Niemack to discuss the office's policy.
"We don't enforce immigration policy, we don't detain based on that, and so, what we detain on is the thought that a crime occurred," Niemack said.
He says the office doesn't keep a database with immigration status and the only time they ask is when an arrest is made. The form deputies fill out during that process asks if the person is a citizen or not.
"That's been a standardized procedure for decades," Niemack said. "If the person didn't commit a crime, they are not on our radar, we are not looking for them, we are not knocking on doors asking questions about things like that."
Molly: "If the department was called on to do something like that, would the Sheriff's Office have the capacity to do that?"
Niemack: "No, and I think most law enforcement agencies would be in that same capacity, is we stay very busy with keeping our local community as safe as possible and we take our job very seriously."
Last week Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer said his officers will not ask for immigration status during encounters with the public, only after an arrest is made.
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