Can Nebraska State Patrol withhold body cam footage while a citation from the stop remains unresolved?
Looking for general information/opinions from attorneys or anyone familiar with public records law and how situations like this are usually viewed legally.
On March 23, 2026 my girlfriend and I were pulled over by Nebraska State Patrol on I80 near mile marker 187 outside North Platte for window tint. Officers said they smelled marijuana and we were honest about there being roaches in the ashtray. We consented to a search.
We had 3 dogs in the vehicle. Officers instructed us to bring only the smallest dog into the patrol vehicle while the other two larger dogs stayed in our car. I was placed in the back of the patrol car and my girlfriend was placed in the front.
While officers were checking the rear window tint/searching the vehicle, the two larger dogs got out through an open door and began running around near interstate traffic. My girlfriend let me out of the patrol car so I could help retrieve them. We recovered the dogs safely.
At first I believed the officers simply stood there, but after later viewing the body cam footage in person, I saw that one officer did chase after one of the dogs. However, I still feel the situation was preventable because the dogs were left unsecured while we were detained and under officer control.
I filed an internal complaint with Nebraska State Patrol. They responded that the officers “responded appropriately.” They allowed me to view the footage in person, but denied my request for copies of the footage, claiming it is still an “investigative record.”
One detail that may matter: I did receive a paraphernalia citation from the stop that is currently unresolved/unpaid, which I now realize may be part of why they are refusing to release copies of the footage.
My questions are:
- Is Nebraska State Patrol likely correct in withholding copies of the footage while the citation remains unresolved?
- Once the citation is resolved, would the footage likely become releasable?
- From a general legal perspective, does this sound like a situation where negligence could even potentially be argued, or is it likely viewed as an unfortunate accident?
Not looking for representation or specific legal advice. I’m mainly trying to understand how situations like this are usually viewed legally.
FYI: I DO NOT SMOKE AROUND MY DOGGIES!!! I smoked in the car days prior to the traffic stop.