Iowa law enforcement officers?

leahzero · Feb 21, 2010

I have some questions for law enforcement officers who currently work in Iowa, or have worked in Iowa within the last ten years. I'm interested in hearing from members of local and state police.

These questions are specific to West Iowa, roughly around the Storm Lake and Cherokee County Regional Airport area (provisional; may change slightly). Information from officers from nearby counties/states would also be helpful.

I'm looking for any available information, including but not limited to:

What type of equipment is standard issue for departments in this area.
What the jurisdictions of each department are.
The officer ranks used by departments in this area.
General info about organization and procedure (e.g., how many employees in each PD, how long it takes to respond to a call, what's inside a typical station, etc.).
What kind of calls typically come in.
Any memorable local news/events that occurred between 1970 to 2010, whether crime-related or not.

This information will be used to describe a fictional police department in a fictional town in this region. I prefer not to discuss the details of my book in public, but I will definitely have more specific questions to ask in private.

Feel free to PM or email me (my email address is available from the About section of my blog).

RJK · Feb 21, 2010

A question this specific should go to the source. You should call or email the Iowa State Police, or possibly one or more of the county sheriff's departments.

Stanmiller · Feb 21, 2010

leahzero said:
I have some questions for law enforcement officers who currently work in Iowa, or have worked in Iowa within the last ten years. I'm interested in hearing from members of local and state police.

These questions are specific to West Iowa, roughly around the Storm Lake and Cherokee County Regional Airport area (provisional; may change slightly). Information from officers from nearby counties/states would also be helpful.

I'm looking for any available information, including but not limited to:

What type of equipment is standard issue for departments in this area.

What the jurisdictions of each department are.

The officer ranks used by departments in this area.

General info about organization and procedure (e.g., how many employees in each PD, how long it takes to respond to a call, what's inside a typical station, etc.).

What kind of calls typically come in.

Any memorable local news/events that occurred between 1970 to 2010, whether crime-related or not.

This information will be used to describe a fictional police department in a fictional town in this region. I prefer not to discuss the details of my book in public, but I will definitely have more specific questions to ask in private.

Feel free to PM or email me (my email address is available from the About section of my blog).

Google is your friend.

Many sheriff departments have web sites. Many have an employment opportunities section where jobs for the different positions are posted. Many sites also include a public information contact email address.

There are also national law enforcement job boards, where police and sheriff's depts look for employees.

Lots of sources. Basic research can come up with a lot of info.

One thing, if you talk to sheriff's dept PR people, make sure that you give them warm fuzzies about the positive things you will say about their department. You get more files with honey than vinegar.

Stan

Carlene · Feb 21, 2010

I say call them with a list of questions. The Sheriff's Department here has an information officer - that's her job, answering questions.

Or, if you have the time, see if you can volunteer. I volunteered at the San Diego Sheriff's Department for over two years, got a HUGE amount of info, and met a bunch of great deputies I still call on from time to time to answer questions.

If you haven't yet gone on a ride along, do! It's one of the most fun, exciting things you can do and you get to see how cops function.

Hey, I got a two books out of my volunteer service too!

Carlene
An Extra Pair of Eyes, Adventures of the San Diego Sheriff's Department Senior Volunteers.
Call Sign: Love - A romance
www.writewordsinc.com

leahzero · Feb 21, 2010

Volunteering is a great idea, but I don't live nearby and can't fit that into my schedule.

I've of course been searching for info online already. The majority of the info I'm looking for isn't the sort of thing that gets posted on the web (aside from news).

Calling is a good idea. But so is finding out as much as I can online first, hence this thread.

StephanieFox · Feb 21, 2010

Just call them. It's their job to answer questions like this. I do journalism so I call and interview people all the time, but even if you are doing fiction, they'll be happy to talk with you.

The closest I've come to dealing with Iowa cops was getting pulled over for speeding. (I got a warning, bless 'em.)

Iowa law enforcement officers?

leahzero

The colors! THE COLORS!

RJK

Sheriff Bullwinkle the Poet says:

Stanmiller

Carlene

New kid, be gentle!

leahzero

The colors! THE COLORS!

StephanieFox

Maybull the Bulldog