# Police staffing petition challenges Lincoln mayor's budget approach **Published:** 2026-06-11T19:16:48.000Z **Source:** [Nebraska Examiner](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/06/11/new-petition-seeks-to-force-lincoln-to-staff-at-least-450-police-officers-at-all-times/) **AI-generated:** yes (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) **Canonical:** https://lincolne.news/article/police-staffing-petition-challenges-lincoln-mayor-s-budget-approach LINCOLN, Neb. — Retired Nebraska State Patrol Superintendent Tom Nesbitt and former talk radio host Doug Fitzgerald are launching a petition drive seeking to require the city to maintain a minimum of 450 sworn police officers, a move that directly challenges Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird's approach to public safety funding, according to a report from the [Nebraska Examiner](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/06/11/new-petition-seeks-to-force-lincoln-to-staff-at-least-450-police-officers-at-all-times/). The proposed ordinance would represent an increase of roughly 80 officers from Lincoln's current active police force, which has been operating at approximately 370 officers. The proposal calls for the city to staff at least 1.5 officers for every 1,000 residents, creating an automatic staffing floor that would scale with Lincoln's population growth. The [U.S. Census Bureau](https://data.census.gov/profile/Lincoln_city,_Nebraska?g=160XX00US3128000) reported Lincoln had a population of just over 291,000 in 2020. Advocates for All Nebraskans, the nonprofit organizing the effort, estimates the funding gap between the current force and 450 officers at nearly $13 million annually. The campaign plans to begin signature gathering in the coming days using door-to-door canvassing and citywide events, with organizers asking local and state elected officials to endorse the measure. The petition effort comes in response to Gaylor Baird's proposed two-year budget unveiled Monday, which allocates an additional $13.5 million for police staffing and adds only four new officer positions in the second year. According to the mayor's proposal, Lincoln Police Department operations account for roughly 22-24 percent of the city's annual spending. "They are extremely appreciative to see the community step up and back the blue, to force real, mathematical benchmarks," Nesbitt said, noting the group had consulted with the Lincoln Police Union before submitting petition language to the city clerk's office. The campaign argues that even with Gaylor Baird's proposed additions, the officer-to-resident ratio would shrink relative to Lincoln's growth. Organizers cite Omaha's police ratio of 1.85 officers per 1,000 residents as a benchmark, suggesting Lincoln falls significantly short of comparable cities. Lincoln currently operates at 97 percent of its authorized staffing strength, according to the mayor's office, and has received 700 police officer applications in 2025, the highest number since 2012. The department also hired 40 officers in 2025, a 38 percent increase over the previous year, according to recent crime data showing homicides dropped from eight to six year-over-year. The timing of the petition effort intersects with upcoming political elections. The Lincoln City Council will vote on Gaylor Baird's budget in August, while the mayor and four council members can seek reelection in spring 2027. Nesbitt and Fitzgerald are affiliated with Advocates for All Nebraskans, which recently concluded a series of statewide petition efforts focused on property taxes and election procedures. A city spokesperson indicated that Lincoln officials plan to issue a formal response to the petition effort. ## Sources - [Nebraska Examiner](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/06/11/new-petition-seeks-to-force-lincoln-to-staff-at-least-450-police-officers-at-all-times/) --- This article was generated by AI (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) based on source material from Nebraska Examiner, enriched with 2 web searches. The original source is available at https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/06/11/new-petition-seeks-to-force-lincoln-to-staff-at-least-450-police-officers-at-all-times/.