The Associated Press
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - Schuyler Police Chief Lennie Hiltner will be among those seeking to have his past crimes excused by the Nebraska State Board of Pardons this month, the Omaha World-Herald reported in its Saturday editions.
Hiltner, 34, wants to be excused for several misdemeanor crimes committed before he turned 21.
Records show Hiltner was convicted six times and served a total of 17 days in jail while growing up in Kearney. The misdemeanor crimes included assault, theft and driving under license suspension.
Even if excused, the convictions would remain on Hiltner’s record, but they would be marked as “pardoned.”
The police chief is among 23 set to appear before the Pardons Board on Sept. 30. But most of those are felons seeking to regain their rights to vote or carry a gun.
Because Hiltner’s crime were misdemeanors, they have not affected his ability to serve in law enforcement or vote. Hiltner said that he wants the pardon to affirm a life turned around after serving in the Army and becoming a police officer.
“I think there’s validity in having the governor, the secretary of state and the attorney general take a look at me and feel that I’m worthy of this pardon and agree I’m a good person,” Hiltner told the World-Herald.
Hiltner’s criminal past came as a surprise to many in Schuyler, a town of 5,400 about 70 miles west of Omaha. With the exception of some within the city’s government, few had known of his convictions.
His pardon request has drawn a dozen letters of support, including letters from both the Butler and Colfax county attorneys, a state trooper and Butler County Judge Patrick McDermott.
Mayor Dave Reinecke, who also has sent a letter of support, said he had no problems with the police chief’s past.
Reinecke said Hiltner has been an outstanding chief who has improved the eight-officer department and stepped up drug enforcement. He noted that Hiltner’s convictions did not prevent him from attending the Nebraska Law Enforcement Training Center.
However, his road to law enforcement was not without obstacles. When he applied to obtain certification at the state law enforcement academy, Hiltner initially was denied admission. He appealed, and the State Crime Commission voted 8-4 to allow him to become a certified officer in 1998.
Hiltner, now a married father of one, said he’s not proud of his record and makes no excuses.
“I made some poor choices. I accepted responsibility and took advantage of the education that system gave me,” he said.
It was the influence of a Kearney police officer while he was serving probation as a young man that motivated Hiltner to turn his life around, he said.
“It’s my opinion that this is a success story,” he said. “Whether you make mistakes, through hard work and dedication and integrity, you can still achieve your goals.”