Advocates for All Nebraskans has suspended signature collection for a proposed ballot measure addressing staffing and funding for the Lincoln Police Department.
The organization announced what it called a “strategic pause” in the campaign Tuesday, saying the decision does not mean it is abandoning the issue.
The group cited a lack of support from current Lincoln City Council members as one reason for stopping the petition effort. It said it will give city officials time to demonstrate progress toward addressing police staffing levels.
The proposed Public Safety Staffing and Funding Mandate was intended to require the city to provide additional resources for LPD as Lincoln’s population and public-safety responsibilities grow.
Retired Nebraska State Patrol Superintendent Tom Nesbitt, a sponsor of the initiative, said adequate staffing affects officers’ access to backup, emergency response capabilities, criminal investigations and neighborhood patrols.
Another sponsor, Doug Fitzgerald, said the petition helped begin a conversation about staffing and that the underlying issue remains.
Advocates for All Nebraskans did not announce when—or if—signature collection will resume.