IACP&PO 2009 Legislative Resolutions

Issue: The Iowa Law Enforcement Academy is the primary training and certification facility for Iowa's Peace Officers. The current facility has become increasingly inefficient to operate and in need of repairs and updates, and lacks the physical ability to expand and keep pace with demands for expanded trainng and certificatin requirements.

Recommendation: The IACPPO supports the completion of the feasibility study to determine the needs of the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy and the recommendations thereof.

Issue: There has been a great increase in the resale of stolen goods online or "e-fencing". These crimnals are able to operate in virtual anonymity and evade all of the state and local pawnshop-type regualtions that have traditionally been used to control the sale of stolen property. Furthermore, criminals brought to task have been able to further circumvent the law by affirmatively evading any specific knowledge of the thefts.

Recommendation: Adding provisions to the state code to impose the same type of regulations on internet resellers and interent auction drop-off sites as the "brick and mortar" re-sellers are subject to. Also we would add Career Offender/Repeat Offender provisions as well as Offense/Dollar Aggregation provisions.

Issue: Currently assaults on Public Safety Personnel (with the excpetion of those in a correctional facility) with the use of bodily fluids are prosecuted as Serious Misdemeanors.

Recommendation: Due to the dangers of disease transmission we feel that any person who commits an assault as defined in section 708.1, against a peace officer, health care provider, employee of DHS, employee of the Department of Revenue, or Firefighter, and with knowledge as such, commits an Aggravated Misdemeanor for Saliva or a "D" Felony for blood, seminal fluid, urine, or feces.

Issue: In some counties Public Intoxication is not being prosecuted for those who are found to be, or have admitted to being intoxicated by some substance, legal or illegal, other than alcohol.

Recommendation: Changing the 123.46 criminal code to include by word all illegal substances and their methods of ingestion.

IACP&PO 2008 Legislative Resolutions

Issue:  The Iowa Association of Chiefs of Police and Peace Officers believes the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy Facilities are in need of renovation and expansion.  The Iowa Law Enforcement Academy Staff also has been reduced while receiving increased training responsibilities.

Recommendation:  This Association recommends that the State of Iowa invest in remodeling and expanding the ILEA on its current site or relocating the Academy to a new, more suitable location as well as increasing the full time staff and providing financing for increased training opportunities. We support a feasibility study that would determine the needs of the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy to better serve all Emergency Services in Iowa.

Issue:  There are cases where Certified Officers in Iowa are not allowed to carry firearms while performing their day to day law enforcement activities.

 Recommendations:   The Iowa Association of Chiefs of Police and Peace Officers recommends the Legislature to support and mandate legislation where Certified Peace Officers shall not be required to perform any official duties, including court appearances, without their firearm. Certified Peace Officers shall carry their firearms in the performance of their duties with the following exceptions, while in a jail facility, state correction facility or state mental health institution if already prohibited by law. Officers would be exempt from carrying in training situations where it would be inappropriate or unsafe to carry.

Recommendation:  The Iowa Associations of Chiefs of Police and Peace Officers will support enhancements to all Public Safety retirement systems including increases in the percentages the retiree receives and enhancements that may include Health Insurance.