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Lincoln police officer suspended after domestic abuse claim

Lincoln, Bellevue Police have dance-off
Posted at 12:26 PM, Nov 16, 2019
and last updated 2019-11-16 13:26:47-05

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A Lincoln police officer has been suspended after being served with a domestic abuse protection order.

The Lincoln Journal Star reports that Officer Nicolas Russell was suspended Friday, the same day he was served with the order. Lincoln Police Chief Jeff Bliemeister said in a statement that the Lancaster County Sheriff's Office is conducting a criminal investigation, in addition to the police department’s internal investigation.

A judge granted the protection order Friday to Russell’s estranged wife, who said in an affidavit that Russell was verbally abusive to her in September, wouldn’t let her leave with their daughter and threatened to beat her. Weeks later, she said, he took her cellphone and threatened to "bash my face in."

Russell is currently participating in a diversion program for an unrelated disturbance while he was off-duty at a Haymarket bar in August that saw him cited for disturbing the peace.

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Information from: Lincoln Journal Star, http://www.journalstar.com