Mar 04, 2023

Three more officers fined for appearing in campaign ads in uniform

Posted Mar 04, 2023 6:08 PM
Law enforcement officers, and other public officials, are barred from using public resources, like an official uniform, in a campaign advertisement. (Courtesy of the Buffalo County Sheriff’s Office)
Law enforcement officers, and other public officials, are barred from using public resources, like an official uniform, in a campaign advertisement. (Courtesy of the Buffalo County Sheriff’s Office)

By PAUL HAMMEL
Nebraska Examiner

LINCOLN — Three more Nebraska law enforcement officials have agreed to pay fines in connection with appearing in a political campaign advertisement while in uniform.

State law prohibits public officials from using public resources for campaign purposes.

Seward County Sheriff Michael Vance, Lincoln County Sheriff Jerome Kramer and York County Sheriff’s Capt. Joshua Gillespie agreed to pay civil penalties of $1,000 each.

The settlements were announced Friday by the Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission, which enforces state campaign laws.

In January, York County Sheriff Paul Vrbka agreed to pay a $1,000 fine for appearing a television ad touting the candidacy of Falls City businessman Charles Herbster, who was running for the Republican nomination for governor.

The three law enforcement officials who agreed to fines Friday appeared in the same advertisement.

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