It was late when Sherae Sawyer parked her car near the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Courtyard suites after getting off work, and only when she was about halfway to the door of the residence hall did she remember her coat and books still in the vehicle.
As the broadcasting major was collecting her things, the first officer pulled up to ask what she was doing. Then another, and another, until eight officers began questioning her.
Sawyer, who is African-American, felt the officers had disrespected her, she told a panel of law enforcement officers at the Jackie Gaughan Multicultural Center Wednesday afternoon.
“I was treated like a criminal," she said. "I wasn’t treated like a person. I was trying to do everything I could to remain calm, but it was intimidating.â€
Officers on the panel hosted by UNL's Civic Engagement and Public Advocacy class said Sawyer's brush with police should have been handled like most problems between law enforcement and the general public -- through communication.
People are also reading…
"The officers should have told you why they were there," said UNL Police Officer Sarah Luttig. "And I know it can be frustrating and scary, but remaining calm is the right thing to do."
Students should stay level-headed, then contact the department if they feel police officers have done something wrong.
Officers make mistakes, said Lincoln Police Officer Chassidy Jackson, but they're open to communication and want to give and get respect.
“We realize no one wants to be contacted by the police,†said Jackson, a 14-year veteran. “We’re dealing with people who don’t want to have us there, but my goal is to be fair and respectful in how I treat others.â€
About two dozen students sat in on Wednesday's panel discussion, which tried to dispel myths about law enforcement as well as gauge officers' feelings about current events.
Tom Casady, Lincoln's public safety director, said Lincoln police are seeking to learn from officer-involved shootings in Ferguson, Missouri, and Madison, Wisconsin.
He said Lincoln police are developing policies to manage a “critical incident†like a police-involved shooting. The policies would provide guidelines on how the department would release the name of officers involved in the shooting and what other information could be shared without jeopardizing the investigation.
“You want to avoid the vacuum of information that happens and creates tension between the police and the public,†Casady said.
Both Jackson and Luttig said they remain focused on providing a service.
“If I can go home and feel I have treated people fairly that day, I feel like I have done a good job,†Luttig said.