Nebraska Senator David Schnoor has called on lawmaker Ernie Chambers to resign after he made comments about the police of Omaha, comparing them to ISIS, and saying that the police are “licensed to kill us.”

Some senators defended Chamber’s use of free speech, but most senators condemned him. Though many people have condemned Senator Ernie Chambers, he said that he will continue to criticize the police. He said his comments were in part directed to a former police officer in Omaha, Alvin Lugod, who shot and killed a robbery suspect. “I will continue to condemn police when they are wrong, and in my community, they are wrong,” said Chambers.

“My ISIS is a police. You know what the Douglas Country Attorney said, Don Kleine, if the officer makes a mistake, if he’s wrong, but he had reason to think he was right, then he’s clear. I cannot get away with that and shoot you and say I thought he was going to do something.”

“Nobody from ISIS ever terrorized us as a people as the police do daily.”

“It wouldn’t be against you or the people who come here that I might have a dispute with. Mine would be the police, and if I carried a gun I’d want to shoot him first and then ask questions later like they say a cop ought to do,” said Chambers.

The police chief in Omaha, Todd Schmaderer, responded to Chamber’s comments. “The comments that Senator Ernie Chambers made today at the Nebraska Unicameral are not only reprehensible but are completely without merit. The comments are unbecoming of a State Senator and have brought no value to the discussion of police-community relations. I stand with my Omaha Police Officers as they are hardworking dedicated professionals.”

Mayor Jean Stothert’s released the statement, “Senator Chamber’s attack on police officers shows total disregard for police safety. Why would any elected official state if he had a gun he would shoot a police officer. The Senator should be looking for ways to improve public safety, not comparing police officers to terrorists. He owes an apology not only to Omaha Police Officers but to every citizen of Omaha.”