Look likes she needs some protection
The Omaha police officer who dumped trash on top of his neighborâs car has been ticketed on suspicion of criminal mischief.
Officer William Klees was cited Friday. If convicted, he could face up to six months in jail, a $1,000 fine or both.
Reached Friday morning, Klees declined to comment.
Sunday, Klees was caught by his neighbor, Quatisha Valentine, taking a bag of trash out of their apartment complexâs dumpster, ripping open the bag and emptying it on the hood of Valentineâs car. He then did the same on the carâs trunk, she said.
Quatisha Valentine took this photo of trash that had been dumped on her car. A neighbor, Omaha Police Officer William Klees, has been ticketed on suspicion of criminal mischief in the incident.
Police Chief Todd Schmaderer ordered an internal investigation into the matter on Monday. Klees, 31, who has been with the department for about five years, was placed on paid administrative leave Tuesday. Omaha police officials said Klees will be interviewed next week.
Valentine, 25, told The World-Herald on Friday that sheâs frustrated with the misdemeanor charge because she has felt harassed by the dumping of the trash, which has occurred several times, and other incidents.
âI feel like itâs ridiculous,â she said. âItâs literally nothing.â
She said she isnât staying in her apartment because she fears for her safety and is worried she will face retaliation. She has not yet been interviewed by Omaha police in connection with the internal investigation.
Valentine said she routinely parked her car across the street from the Muse Omaha apartments near 20th and Izard Streets in a spot where she could see the car from her apartment window. Several times in the past months, she said, she has found trash on her car and no others. Once, she said, her tire was punctured. Also, an egg was thrown at her car.
When she was told by the property managers that the apartment surveillance cameras had not recorded anything, she set up her own camera, pointing it at her car.
Last Saturday, Valentine found trash on her car and hoped to be able to catch the person who was putting it there. The next night, she was awake and watching the camera feed on her phone when she saw a man empty the trash onto her car.
Valentine said she threw on her shoes and took her phone to record and confront the man. She saw that it was Klees, whom she had met at the apartment months ago when he was wearing his Omaha police uniform.
She said that when she confronted Klees, he made some remark and walked into his apartment.
Klees was off duty at the time, the Police Department has said.
âHonestly, I felt afraid, I felt very angry, I felt confused,â she said upon realizing that the man was Klees. âDuring the moment and even after, I felt unsafe, hesitant to even call the police.â
Valentine did end up calling the police later. Officers knocked on Kleesâ door but were unable to talk to him.
Valentine wrote a Facebook post about her experience and included several photos of multiple incidents in which trash had been put on her car, plus stills from the video she took confronting Klees. That post has been shared nearly 1,000 times.
Valentine said she doesnât think Klees should continue to work as a police officer because of what he has done.
âHeâs in a position to protect and serve, and heâs completely doing the opposite,â Valentine said. âBehind closed doors, when cameras and surveillance are not shining on him with his gear on, heâs clearly shown his true self.â
He resigned before the meeting with internal affairs
Omaha police officer who put trash on neighbor's car gets criminal mischief citation
The Omaha police officer who dumped trash on top of his neighborâs car has been ticketed on suspicion of criminal mischief.
Officer William Klees was cited Friday. If convicted, he could face up to six months in jail, a $1,000 fine or both.
Reached Friday morning, Klees declined to comment.
Sunday, Klees was caught by his neighbor, Quatisha Valentine, taking a bag of trash out of their apartment complexâs dumpster, ripping open the bag and emptying it on the hood of Valentineâs car. He then did the same on the carâs trunk, she said.
Quatisha Valentine took this photo of trash that had been dumped on her car. A neighbor, Omaha Police Officer William Klees, has been ticketed on suspicion of criminal mischief in the incident.
Police Chief Todd Schmaderer ordered an internal investigation into the matter on Monday. Klees, 31, who has been with the department for about five years, was placed on paid administrative leave Tuesday. Omaha police officials said Klees will be interviewed next week.
Valentine, 25, told The World-Herald on Friday that sheâs frustrated with the misdemeanor charge because she has felt harassed by the dumping of the trash, which has occurred several times, and other incidents.
âI feel like itâs ridiculous,â she said. âItâs literally nothing.â
She said she isnât staying in her apartment because she fears for her safety and is worried she will face retaliation. She has not yet been interviewed by Omaha police in connection with the internal investigation.
Valentine said she routinely parked her car across the street from the Muse Omaha apartments near 20th and Izard Streets in a spot where she could see the car from her apartment window. Several times in the past months, she said, she has found trash on her car and no others. Once, she said, her tire was punctured. Also, an egg was thrown at her car.
When she was told by the property managers that the apartment surveillance cameras had not recorded anything, she set up her own camera, pointing it at her car.
Last Saturday, Valentine found trash on her car and hoped to be able to catch the person who was putting it there. The next night, she was awake and watching the camera feed on her phone when she saw a man empty the trash onto her car.
Valentine said she threw on her shoes and took her phone to record and confront the man. She saw that it was Klees, whom she had met at the apartment months ago when he was wearing his Omaha police uniform.
She said that when she confronted Klees, he made some remark and walked into his apartment.
Klees was off duty at the time, the Police Department has said.
âHonestly, I felt afraid, I felt very angry, I felt confused,â she said upon realizing that the man was Klees. âDuring the moment and even after, I felt unsafe, hesitant to even call the police.â
Valentine did end up calling the police later. Officers knocked on Kleesâ door but were unable to talk to him.
Valentine wrote a Facebook post about her experience and included several photos of multiple incidents in which trash had been put on her car, plus stills from the video she took confronting Klees. That post has been shared nearly 1,000 times.
Valentine said she doesnât think Klees should continue to work as a police officer because of what he has done.
âHeâs in a position to protect and serve, and heâs completely doing the opposite,â Valentine said. âBehind closed doors, when cameras and surveillance are not shining on him with his gear on, heâs clearly shown his true self.â
He resigned before the meeting with internal affairs