OMAHA, Neb. -- Omaha community activist Ben Salazar has been advising citizens to file complaints against the police with the U.S. Department of Justice.

Salazar said that relations between Omaha police and the community have suffered in the nearly two years since the city last had a public safety auditor.

He said Justice Department officials told him to have citizens forward their complaints to their office in Washington.

Salazar urged city leaders to hire a new public safety auditor during Tuesday night’s budget hearings.