CBS St. LouisLincoln, Neb. (CBS ST. LOUIS) – Nebraska State Sen. Ernie Chambers made a series of controversial comments regarding police officers, saying that if he carried a gun he’d shoot an officer first and ask questions later.
An audio recording from KFOR 1240 uncovered Chambers, who represents North Omaha’s 11th District and is the state’s only African-American senator, comparing law enforcement to Islamic State militants and saying he’d shoot a cop if he owned a weapon.
Chambers said he “wouldn’t go to Syria…wouldn’t go to Iraq…wouldn’t go to Afghanistan…” because local police terrorize residents daily.
“My ISIS is the police. Nobody from ISIS ever terrorized us as a people as the police do us daily. And they get away with it,” said Chambers, WOWT-TV reports. “You know what the [Douglas] County Attorney said, Don Kleine, if the officer makes a mistake- if he’s wrong – but he had reason to think he was right, then he’s clear. I cannot get away with that and shoot you and say ‘I thought he was going to do something.’
“The police are licensed to kill us – children, old people,” he said.
Chambers said that if he owned a gun, he’d use it as police officers use weapons against residents of Omaha.
“If I was going to carry a weapon, it wouldn’t be against you or the people who come here that I might have a dispute with. Mine would be with the police,” said Chambers. “And if I carried a gun I’d want to shoot him first and then ask questions later like they say a cop ought to do.”
Chambers represents North Omaha, which is a high-crime area with simmering racial tensions and encounters with police such as the March 2013 incident in which police threw a man to the ground and beat him as 32 officers stormed a home across the street in response to a parking complaint, Watchdog.org reports. Four officers were fired following allegations of excessive force, a police cover-up and evidence tampering.
But fellow State Sen. Beau McCoy of Omaha remarked that Chambers’ comments were “appalling.”
“I think Senator Chambers owes those who wear the uniform of law enforcement an apology,” McCoy said on the floor of the Nebraska legislature.
And Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer also issued a response to Chambers’ comments, calling them “reprehensible.”
“Senator Chambers’ attack on police officers shows total disregard for public safety. Why would any elected official state if he had a gun he would shoot a police officer? The Senator should be looking for ways to improve public safety, not comparing police officers to terrorists. He owes an apology not only to Omaha Police Officers but to every citizen of Omaha.”
yeah but chances are if he shot a cop he would get away with it hes a senator, and probably has a security staff.you and I on the other hand , will die right there
He don’t have a security staff I live in lincoln, NE he walks around by himself a lot to coffee shops and fast food resturants. He was attacked by all the neo cons republicans yesterday at the capital building yesterday, brodcast on the local news channels.
nice to know, thanks Kevin
at least he is bringing attention to a serious issue, which no other politicians give a shit about until its them getting karate chopped to the throat.
I only see him saying he would follow the same R.O.E
GOD bless him. Feel like sending him what he says he would use if he had one.
He is right. When you can not set on your own front porch. Have a smoke. And still have the Sang Co. IL. Come by yell at you and try to murder you for it. Because they have a I don’t like you mental problem going. Not that you broke a law at all. Such Cop’s deserve to be shot when they come on your property. As you need live in fear of them and know just what they are from past practice from them. There is a point that they force. That makes it unjustifiable for them to be on the streets.
“I think Senator Chambers owes those who wear the uniform of law enforcement an apology.”, McCoy said on the floor of the Nebraska legislature.
An apology? For what? For not shooting us all just yet? Senator Chambers is black and, I’m certain, had some experience dealing with law enforcement as he grew up so I cannot bemoan him for his opinion regarding “Johnny Law”.
Ernie Chambers for POTUS 2016! 😀
it should be law that a cop cant come on your private property armed unless he has a warrant ..its your rules on your property ,Castle Doctrine and all.. and if you havent been served a warrant signed by a judge with oath and affirmation as to where and what they are “looking for” , that cop has no business being on your property armed