Attorney General Merrick B. Garland Delivers Remarks at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nebraska

Remarks as Prepared for Delivery

Good afternoon. I would say thank you for the warm welcome to Omaha, but it is 105 degrees – so thank you for the extremely warm welcome.

I am very familiar with the heat of Omaha summers and the cold of Omaha winters. My grandmother lived in Omaha for many years, and my father was born across the river in Council Bluffs. I am glad to be back.

Acting U.S. Attorney Lehr and I just wrapped up an afternoon of meetings with members of her senior leadership team and with the prosecutors and other professionals who make this office work.

Every day, the dedicated men and women of this office work tirelessly to fulfill our mission: to uphold the rule of law, to keep our country safe, and to protect civil rights.

They do this by investigating, prosecuting, and securing the convictions of those who exploit and abuse the most vulnerable. Just minutes ago, they secured a guilty verdict in a child enticement case. And, last month, the office secured a 60-year prison sentence for a defendant who engaged in a years-long child exploitation conspiracy.

The men and women of this office fulfill our mission by working to disrupt and dismantle the criminal drug trafficking networks that fuel the fentanyl epidemic. For example, the office secured the conviction of an individual for conspiracy to distribute a fentanyl analogue, including selling fentanyl to a woman who overdosed and died.

They fulfill our mission by defending civil rights. Last fall, together with the Department’s Civil Rights Division, the office secured a guilty plea from an individual who had left a noose in his workplace to intimidate his Black coworker.

And they do so much more – from disrupting human trafficking to prosecuting fraud and white-collar crime.

But, as everyone in this office will tell you – the Justice Department does not do this alone. That is why, in just a few moments, we will meet with several of our law enforcement partners here in Omaha without whom we could not do this work.

Today, I am looking forward to hearing from our law enforcement partners about what is working, what isn’t, and how we can work more effectively together to keep our communities and our officers safe.

The Justice Department knows how much is being asked of police officers every single day. And we are committed to doing everything in our power to provide our law enforcement partners with the resources and assistance necessary to support them and help keep them safe.

That is why we are investing in programs that support officer safety, health, and wellness; in initiatives that help build trust between law enforcement and the communities we serve; and in incentives to address the recruitment and retention challenges that departments across the country are facing.

I know I speak for all of us at the Department of Justice to say how deeply grateful we are for the difficult work that everyone around this table does and for your partnership.

And with that, I believe we’ll be able to begin our discussion.