FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 4, 2015, 5:00 p.m. CDT
Contact Jason Hogue, Peru State College Marketing and Communications, 402.872.2429
Peru, Nebraska- Nemaha County Sheriff, Brent Lottman, was on the Peru State College campus Thursday
morning to present a seminar on “the effects of use and legalization of marijuana
through the eyes of law enforcement.” Lottman is a Peru State alum and has been sheriff
of Nemaha County since 2003.
The seminar focused on evolving law enforcement findings and policies of states where
marijuana is legal. The long-term health effects of newly legal, intoxicating substances
are studied in depth; but the long-term consequences to communities and law enforcement
are just coming to the public’s attention.
Lottman said, “Education is an important piece of the law enforcement toolbox – whether
it’s educating new deputies or the public on the consequences of legalization. Statewide
legalization doesn’t change the laws on DUIs or even federal laws on distribution.
“Local law enforcement will be responsible for applying the new laws and old to maintain
public safety.”
Lottman’s presentation was sponsored by Dr. Kelly Asmussen’s Sociology 300 class.
Students select a social project to address and this has led to various speakers being
invited to campus to share their perspective. As a result, student engagement has
been fostered through community engagement resources.
Lottman is a 1997 graduate of Peru State College where he earned his Bachelor of Science.
In 2010, he received a Master of Arts in Legal Studies from the University of Illinois.
He is a graduate of the National Sheriff’s Institute in Longmont, Colorado, a traffic
crash reconstructionist, and a Standardized Field Sobriety Instructor.
Lottman also assists with training at the Nebraska Law Enforcement Training Center
and is a member of the adjunct faculty for Peru State College in the criminal justice
department.
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For more information, visit www.peru.edu or call 1-800-742-4412.
About Peru State College: Peru State’s “Campus of a Thousand Oaks,” an arboretum,
is nestled in historic southeast Nebraska. The state’s first college, Peru State offers
a unique mix of innovative online and traditional classroom undergraduate and graduate
programs, including online graduate degrees in education and organizational management.
It is a college of choice fostering excellence and student achievement through engagement
in a culture that promotes inquiry, discovery and innovation.