Officials: Former Lincoln officer cited after pushing man down at hospital
Share
Updated: 11:47 AM CST Feb 4, 2021
KETV Staff Report
Share
Updated: 11:47 AM CST Feb 4, 2021
KETV Staff Report
Editors note: Due to an editorial error, a previous version of this story included a photo of someone other than Benjamin Rieker. On Tuesday, a former Lincoln police officer was cited for third-degree assault.Officials say Benjamin Rieker resigned on Jan. 26 after being an officer for the city for 18 months. Rieker had been under internal investigation for policy violations in regard to an incident that took place on Oct. 31. "The investigation stemmed from an incident involving a disturbance and possible excessive use of control while Rieker was working in an off-duty capacity," a news release said. Rieker was reportedly working off-duty at Bryan West Hospital when he was caught on surveillance video pushing a 51-year-old who had caused a disturbance. The man fell back and refused medical attention. The internal investigation revealed department policy violations, as well as a potential criminal offense. Chief Bliemeister requested that Lancaster County Sheriff Terry Wagner conduct a criminal investigation as an independent outside agency and Rieker was placed on unpaid leave."The Lincoln Police Department works rigorously to build trust with the people of Lincoln. When we become aware that an LPD employee may have committed a policy or law violation, we thoroughly investigate the incident, including referring the criminal investigation to an outside law enforcement agency if necessary. Based on our internal investigation, the actions of this individual are in contrast to the cornerstones of our department’s culture, namely, dedicated public service, community partnerships, and fair and impartial policing. We do not tolerate such conduct, and this incident does not define the approximate 500 LPD employees who honorably serve the Lincoln community every day," officials wrote in the release.