This is a response to the letter “Is DPS out of bounds?” which was published in the June 10, 1997, issue of the Iowa State Daily. Yes, the Department of Public Safety is a department of ISU, and, therefore DPS employees work for ISU. DPS was created pursuant to Iowa Code 262.13.

The sworn employees are defined by Iowa Code 801.4 (11) This code states that DPS officers are peace officers, as are all state, county and municipal law enforcement officers in Iowa. DPS has jurisdiction in the city of Ames through an agreement with the city in accord with Iowa Code 28E.

Through this agreement, the Ames Police Department (APD) and the ISU DPS share jurisdictions in the city of Ames.

The Board of Regents is aware of what these officers are doing. They are doing what they are paid to do — prevent crime, detect and apprehend criminals and enforce such other laws as are specified in Iowa Code 80.9.

These officers are doing their jobs. DPS first and foremost patrols the campus area. ISU does, however, have holdings throughout the Story County area. DPS duties require the patrol of these areas in addition to campus.

Another reason you might see DPS officers in other areas of Ames includes transporting prisoners to and from the courthouse in Nevada. Finally, if the APD needs assistance, they may call on DPS officers to assist them.

DPS wants to be armed to protect LIFE, not property. Nowhere in the State of Iowa Code is there justification for protecting property with deadly force.

Property can be replaced; LIFE cannot. DPS asks no more and no less than any other law enforcement agency — they ask for the ability to protect and serve as completely as any other agency in Iowa.

DPS has some of the best officers in the state of Iowa. They are college-educated, academy-trained and they receive in-service and specialized training monthly. In addition, DPS is near completion of national accreditation. This is a tedious task that is very rare and demanding. In fact, only about six departments in Iowa have this accreditation.

Now, let’s suppose that something serious did happen on campus. Say an over-worked student went crazy in Snedecor Hall with a knife or maybe Welch Hall with a gun. APDwould be expected to respond because the knife represents deadly force, as does the gun. (Saying that it is only a knife is a very dangerous statement.)

The problem with having APD respond is that they are not trained in the location of the buildings and offices of ISU. DPS officers are. It is DPS’s primary jurisdiction.

If you were in that office or residence hall, would you want to wait on an Ames officer to call and find out where the building is or would you want DPS officers to respond because they already know where to go and could respond much more quickly?

As things are, you would have to wait for Ames police officers to respond, even though both officers receive similar training and DPS could respond faster.

DPS’s jurisdiction is confusing and their authority is also misunderstood. Perhaps DPS should be called the ISU Police, much like other university police departments in the Big 12.

However, the Board of Regents is afraid that if DPS is referred to as police, people might think there is crime present on their university campus. This is much like a parent saying, “My kid would never do drugs” and then finding himself or herself standing over his or her child who over-dosed on heroin.

Please remember what was written here. Use this information to expel ignorance in this community. You have a gift of a second local police force. Know that they are working to make this community a safer place. Every time they pull someone over for not wearing a seat belt they may have saved a life. Every time they stop someone for speeding they may have saved a life.

Every time they arrest someone for OWI they have most likely saved a life. The lives they save could be family members, friends or yours. Please give your respect to law-enforcement officers. They work for you.

Darin R. Van Ryswyk

Senior

BLS & Criminal Justice