Lincoln Police Cruiser (Jeff Motz/KFOR News)LINCOLN–(Nebraska Examiner/KFOR Mar. 11)–An investigation into a $2.5 million no-bid emergency contract between the Nebraska Department of Economic Development and a Lincoln contractor Gov. Jim Pillen recommended, has been handed over to Lincoln Polic e to handle because of a potential conflict of interest with the Nebraska State Patrol. State Auditor Mike Foley’s probe also questions actions by some top staff under Pillen’s direct control.  According to the Nebraska Examiner, Foley said in early February that he had referred his audit findings to the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office and Nebraska State Patrol, the latter of which answers to Pillen. Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers, at an unrelated news conference last week, declined to say whether his office was investigating but pointed to the office’s general process after a Foley referral. “We review it to see whether or not there’s probable cause to investigate,” Hilgers said. “If there’s an investigation, we refer it to a law enforcement agency, they do the investigation, they come back, and then there’s charges filed or not filed.” Foley said Tuesday he could not speak for LPD or the State Patrol and that under the laws governing Foley’s office, all of his office’s work material is exempt from public records but is available to law enforcement.   ...read more read less