Pursuing excellence in public safety while moving forward building community.
GET IN TOUCH Iowa State University Department of Public Safety Police Non-Emergency 515-294-4428
Help Van/SafeRide 515-294-4444
Parking 515-294-3388
Emergency 911
FOLLOW US @ISUPD
Editor-in-chief Emily Barske
Cover Jon Hesse
Managing editor Emily Blobaum
Design Peter Lemken Isaiah Johnson Jon Hesse Kelsey Garin Jayden Pond
News editor Danielle Gehr
CONTENTS OPENING LETTER
07
ABOUT US
08
ONE MIND CAMPAIGN
11
ARMED WITH SOCIAL MEDIA
17
REACHING OUT
25
SAFERIDE
31
ANSWERING THE CALL
35
INTRODUCING BODY CAMS
38
HIRES AND PROMOTIONS
42
SEXUAL ASSAULT RESPONSE TEAM ANNIVERSARY
45
ENGAGEMENT AND INCLUSION OFFICERS
48
Published in partnership with the Iowa State Daily in April 2018
Peter Lemken/Iowa State Daily
Opening letter Dear Iowa State University community members,
variety of graphics, photos and stories outlining the work of DPS. With the department consisting of the university
Each year the Iowa State Department
police, the parking division and the
of Public Safety does a great deal of
Sexual Assault Response Team, there
work on campus in partnership with
was a lot to cover.
the community. While the department publishes much of this information,
We felt this approach to an annual
we have not done a traditional annual
report fit the overall style of the
report on the work the department did
department given our relationship
in the previous calendar year.
with the overall community. We hope this publication gives you some
Instead of doing a traditional annual
perspective about the status of safety
report like many departments do, we
on our campus and the initiatives the
decided to do things a little differently.
department feels most passionately about.
The department approached the Iowa State Daily about partnering together
Sincerely,
to publish the 2017 report — and that brings you to this publication.
Michael Newton, Chief of Police/Assistant Vice President
It is the desire of both DPS and the
Iowa State University
Daily to inform you about efforts to keep campus safe and gain a better
Emily Barske,
understanding of what it takes to do
Editor in Chief
that. In this publication, you’ll see a
Iowa State Daily
7
About us The Department of Public Safety at Iowa State University is a team of law enforcement and parking professionals working in partnership with the university community to improve the quality of life by enhancing safety, personal security and campus access services for students, faculty, staff and visitors. The police department has 38 sworn, state-certified police officers and 14 full-time civilian staff. The parking department has nine full-time civilian staff. Âť Mission:
Caring
To create a safe and secure learning
Having the sensitivity to see the
and working environment by providing
needs of others and demonstrating
proactive police and parking services
compassion for all people.
and a high level of preparedness for the university community. The
Honor
philosophy of community-oriented
Having the esteem, respect and
customer service is instrumental to
reverence for our personal and
the manner in which the department
professional family, as well as our
functions and operates. Our team is
fellow citizens.
committed to maintaining a high level of professionalism.
Excellence The personal and professional
Âť Core Values: (RICHES)
standards through which all of our
Respect
behaviors, performance and attitudes
Being able to recognize the inherent
shall be judged. A continual journey
worth of all by treating people as they
not a destination.
should be treated, with understanding and compassion.
Service Putting responsibilities before self-
Integrity
interest, performing duties to meet the
Having the honesty and moral courage
needs of others, promoting partnerships
to act reliably and responsibly by being
to identify and solve problems, doing
a positive role model.
what is right for the community.
8
BY THE NUMBERS: CALLS FOR SERVICE:
21,105
TRAFFIC STOPS:
NEW CASES:
3,673 1,819 NUMBER OF ARRESTS:
933
FIRE
ALARM
PULL DOWN
SAFERIDE TRIPS:
18,495
FIRE ALARMS:
303
SAFERIDE PASSENGERS:
23,038
426 2,329
OUTREACH EVENTS:
EXTRA PATROL:
TOTAL CHARGES FILED:
1,420
Mikinna Kerns/Iowa State Daily
One mind campaign By Emily Barske and Danielle Gehr
An adorable husky puppy with a green bandana named Oliver was quite a hit on campus in October. But he was more than just a spectacle for those passing by. Oliver wore the bandana as a part of
Mental Illness (NAMI). Looking into
ISU Police’s collaboration with Iowa
NAMI Iowa, Newton makes mental
State’s chapter of the National Alliance
health a priority. Newton ser ves as the
on Mental Illness (NAMI) for the
adviser for Iowa State’s NAMI chapter.
“Bandana Project.” “One of my other strong areas that I The bandanas symbolize that you can
want to be involved in here is mental
approach that person about mental-
health. This is really important to me.
health-related questions and resources.
Making sure that we have the right systems and processes in place to help
The police have created a renewed
students, faculty and staff with mental
focus on mental health issues under
health concerns,” Newton said when he
Chief Michael Newton’s leadership.
first started at Iowa State.
In Wisconsin, Newton was the board president of the National Alliance on
“Over the years, law enforcement has sort of ebbed. We used to have a lot of
11
social service agencies and the social
***
service agencies that would assist with mental health issues and concerns.”
The agency launched the One Mind Campaign at Iowa State in October to be implemented in one to three years.
“This campaign has the ability to help officers change their overall mindset on mental illness.”
»» What Iowa State’s One Mind Campaign is started by the International Association of Chiefs of Police.
»» Purpose Now, he feels that there has been an
The campaign seeks to unite
influx of mental health cases on college
communities, public safety organizations
campuses causing more of a need.
and mental health organizations so
These cases have often ended in arrest
the three become “of one mind.”
in situations where Newton said mental health treatment would have been the better solution.
»» Four steps • Establish a clearly defined and sustainable partnership with one
The training he would like to
or more community mental health
implement would deal with mental
organizations.
health, specifically teaching officers how to de-escalate.
• Develop and implement a model policy addressing police response to persons affected by mental illness.
“It also teaches that it’s the illness, not
• Train and certify 100 percent of the
the person,” Newton said. “It helps
agency’s sworn officers and selected
them recognize that sometimes people
civilian staff such as dispatchers in
who are in a mental health crisis act
Mental Health First Aid for
out and act differently.”
Public Safety. • P rovide Crisis Intervention Team
Parts of the training also help the
training to a minimum of 20
officers think from the perspective of
percent of the agency’s sworn
the person bearing a mental illness.
officers, and selected civilian staff
This will lead to a better understanding
such as dispatchers.
of what it is like to have a disorder such as schizophrenia.
Mikinna Kerns/Iowa State Daily
A note from Chief Newton “Each and every time we provide services, we strive to treat people with respect, integrity and compassion. It does not matter whether the person is going through a mental health crisis, is suspected of committing a crime, or they are the victim of a crime. We need to approach people in a non-judgmental, non-confrontational way. Those who are suffering a mental health crisis are not always aware of their actions nor are they able to respond to traditional police techniques.
This campaign has the ability to help officers change their overall mindset on mental illness. The training involved will help officers understand the complexities of mental illness and will equip them with new tools that will help them help others. If we are going to be successful, we need a true partnership between police, community, mental health providers, the consumers and their families. Together we are stronger, and this program offers an opportunity to make mental health stronger at Iowa State University and the Ames community.�
13
WELFARE CHECKS Oftentimes, police must respond to welfare checks, a request that the police check on an individual due to concern about the individual’s safety and well-being. Here are the number of welfare checks from 2017 and which days of the week they occurred. Police try to be out of uniform and in everyday clothes for these calls when possible to make the individual feel more comfortable.
SUNDAY
30 35
MONDAY
40
TUESDAY
38
WEDNESDAY
43
THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY
29 40
TOTAL 255 CALLS
CALLS FOR SERVICE
5.
SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY GENERAL COMPLAINTS
DRUGS AND ALCOHOL
4.
EXTRA PATROL
6.
3.
7. 9.
ALARM
10.
FOLLOW UP
2.
TRAFFIC STOP AND ENFORCEMENT
8.
1.
OUTREACH AND COMMUNITY SERVICE
BURGLAR AND PROPERTY CALLS ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIVITY
Max Goldberg/Iowa State Daily
Twitter profile:
Armed with social media By Danielle Gehr
“Think twice, tweet once.” A Post-it note containing only these words collects dust on the desk of Community Outreach Officer Anthony Greiter, guiding him as he holds all the power when it comes to the department’s Twitter account.
Since the ISU Police Twitter’s launch, Greiter has added color and humor to build its following to more than 17,000.
IowaStateU Police 18 Jan 2017
@ISUPD
Please stop vaping on campus. It’s getting hard to see the buildings.
Tweets such as turning a foggy day into a vape joke have caught the attention of the Iowa State community as well as people all around the world. “The vaping tweet reached 1.8 million people across the world,” Greiter said. “We had articles written about us across the world, and that’s a great way to show that law enforcement in the U.S., in this time when there’s a lot of tension
for departments to be part of their
between communities and police, can
communities. The police department
be real people.”
in Wyoming, Minnesota, which Greiter often pulls inspiration from, recently
Social media is now another tool
surpassed its town’s population in
on an officer’s tool belt as a way
followers.
17
“We are able to reach a much larger audience with social media, but there’s still something to be said about the personal contact.”
Greiter has found that this humorous
He cited what he called “the medieval
style works with this audience of mostly
sock scare.” A prop, which was simply
young college students who tend to
Styrofoam in a sock, left by members
“wake up and most know that it’s going
of the Live Action Role Playing Club
to be a good day.”
turned into a bomb scare.
He joked that he often draws the line
Though the situation turned out to be
and then puts one toe over it because
harmless, the ISU PD reached roughly
this edgy style is what has kept the
100,000 people with its warning within
department relevant.
the first 10 minutes that it was sent out. It was one of the first times it used
“It is a tough balance because we’re
social media for this type of situation.
working with sensitive information and sensitive topics, but at some point if
Social media has its pros compared to
we don’t lighten up and provide some
ISU Alert, Greiter said. Most people
comic relief, people will stop paying
don’t get ISU Alert, limiting the number
attention,” Greiter said.
of people that it reaches.
Maintaining a Twitter that is light and
Though Twitter is the department’s daily
fun has been a goal of Greiter’s since
contact with the community, Greiter
pitching the Twitter account to the
incorporates face-to-face, more personal
department. He explained that if people
types of events for the department
genuinely enjoy the content that they
through his community outreach.
are putting out on a regular basis, their audience will be attentive when there
“We are able to reach a much larger
is an actual emergency or at least a
audience with social media, but there’s
possible threat.
still something to be said about the
IowaStateU Police 28 Feb 2017
@ISUPD
What in blood alcohol concentration?!
“Let me say this one more time. I arrested this kid and he said, ‘You guys are awesome.’ To me, that’s a win.”
It was bad in that it engendered corruption.” personal contact,” Greiter said. The response to the unethical behavior “The coffee with a cop, the citizen’s
was to completely separate the police
police academy and the opportunity for
and the community. One method that
people to come in and ask us questions
Delisi spoke of was the implementation
and have conversations.”
of cars. Officers who used to walk around and engage with the community
Today, all police departments in the
now drove in cars, communicating only
United States make community policing
with other officers through the radio.
a priority. Though, Matthew Delisi,
Corruption was then replaced with
professor of sociology and coordinator
another issue: estrangement.
of the criminal justice department, said that this has not always been the case.
“You had the police really only responding to calls for service and
Early on, being connected to the
then they would react to whatever
community was uniform for police
it was, and there were a lot of angst
departments across the country. This
and problems in the mid-to-late 20th
all changed once these practices led
century,” Delisi said.
to corruption. Realizing that the separation of “Policing used to be very politicized
police and community only caused
and very closely connected to the
problems, departments began practicing
communities,” Delisi said. “That was
community policing again. Delisi said
good because there was a lot of strong
that, when talking to police departments
relationships and a lot of rapport.
seeking to hire students, he found that
they are looking for smart people who
Their Twitter showcases a clear
have people skills.
understanding of internet culture, which is the main appeal to most of
“That’s what a lot of policing is. It’s
the younger audience and is something
relationships, it’s managing very
that Greiter did not decipher alone.
different kinds of people,” Delisi said.
Ian Jamieson, a software engineering student at Iowa State, works alongside
The ISU Police have already seen
Greiter, enlightening him on what’s
an improvement on already strong
trending on social media and what will
community relations since its Twitter
likely go viral.
became popular. When it comes to internet humor, Greiter said he has had officers come
Jamieson said Greiter caught on pretty
up to him and say that while they were
quick.
arresting someone, the arrestee said, “Are you the one that runs Twitter?
“[Greiter] really enjoyed that humor
That’s awesome. I love you guys.”
and the connection he was making with students, which is something
“Let me say this one more time. I
that is pretty hard to do as a police
arrested this kid and he said, ‘You guys
department, especially at a university
are awesome.’ To me, that’s a win,”
police department,” Jamieson said.
Greiter said.
20
After meeting Greiter while working at
difference maybe not in some drastic
the orientation fair, Jamieson jokingly
way, but I know that it’s helping build
said that the department should hire
that community.”
him, to which Greiter replied, “OK.” Though he receives help from Jamieson, What were already positive feelings
Greiter still has full control over the
toward police turned into even more
account, and he is grateful that the
respect over the months that he has
department has given him free reign.
worked at the department. “I couldn’t do any of this if I were Jamieson enjoys the anonymity that
representing a department that’s full of
comes with this job, as most people
terrible officers and I’m not,” Greiter
don’t know of his role in it. When
said. “While we’re here to enforce the
people find out that he is behind many
law, we can do it with a smile. We can
of these ISU Police tweets that go viral,
do it in a friendly manner.”
they are often surprised. “It’s always kind of exciting to see something you write be so popular,” Jamieson said. “It’s special to me because I know that it’s making a
21
Top tweets IowaStateU Police @ISUPD You’re under arrest Chris Jorgensen @cjorgensen79 You ain’t from Iowa if you never had one of these � Show this thread
10:18 am – 13 Nov 2017 240,269 Retweets 648,928 Likes 40,380,994 Impressions
IowaStateU Police @ISUPD Iowa State University Pumpkin Department
12:19 pm – 28 Oct 2017 349 Retweets
2,248 Likes
228,483 Impressions
IowaStateU Police @ISUPD You’ve heard of speed traps? We have weed traps
11:45 am – 20 Apr 2017 23,328 Retweets
65,546 Likes
5,054,599 Impressions
IowaStateU Police @ISUPD
Whether it’s drunk driving or drunk texting your ex, don’t be stupid this NYE 10:39 am – 31 Dec 2017 14,645 Retweets
55,374 Likes
2,464,305 Impressions
IowaStateU Police @ISUPD
Arresting Mother Nature isn’t exactly a breeze. Liam Foy @LiamFoy29 Can we arrest this wind for disorderly conduct directed at my hair? @ISUPD
9:04 am – 13 Dec 2017 270 Retweets
3,810 Likes
210,546 Impressions
Hannah Olson/Iowa State Daily
Reaching out: 48,000+ people By Tyrus Pavicich
ISU police officers are dead-set on increasing safety in any way they can. Naturally, this means stopping crime and providing resources to students—but donuts might be their best weapon.
By hosting frequent and creative
to the campus police department so
outreach efforts, such as the “Donut
they feel comfortable communicating
Disrespect” campaign and their Coffee
with officers.
with a Cop breakfast events, ISU police are playing the long game of preventing
“We’ve done a lot of work to humanize
campus crime by bringing the student
our police department and show the
body together.
community that we’re approachable, that we’re here to help,” Greiter said.
With these outreach events and more,
“Donut Disrespect has really encouraged
the ISU police reached more than
people to come forward and talk to us
48,000 people last year.
a little bit more, even if it’s about the goofiest little things.”
In addition to increasing community cohesion, Officer Anthony Greiter,
This idea isn’t without precedent. An
who is in charge of outreach for the
article published in the Harvard Law
department, wants to connect students
Review in 2016 noted a clear connection
25
between better, more thoughtful
officers asking for stickers or a photo op.
policing and the public’s trust in their local forces.
But even though he’s proud of what the ISU police has accomplished in
This is particularly important after
strengthening community bonds,
recent events nationwide have, in many
Greiter said the most important work
areas, widened the rift between police
it has done is provide training to
and the communities that they protect.
citizens in the form of sexual assault programming and violent incident
Greiter believes that outreach efforts
response training.
have been successful in preventing any kind of divide in Ames, where he noted
“Those two are phenomenal,” Greiter
that students will regularly approach
said. “You can see an immediate
26
“Truly, the dayto-day interactions are what I live for.” –Anthony Greiter Mikinna Kerns/Iowa State Daily
impact in people’s lives because we’re
positive everyday communication with
providing life-changing and life-altering
students in order to build trust and
information in a positive, light-
positive feelings. “Truly, the day-to-day
hearted way.”
interactions are what I live for,” Greiter said. “The majority of our interactions
In 2017, the ISU police scheduled
with people are happy, they’re positive,
426 outreach events, ranging from
they’re fun, and it’s a department-wide
donut giveaways to presentations on
effort to make that happen.”
sexual assault. Greiter encourages students to follow With all of the active outreach programs
social media to see upcoming Iowa State
it does, however, the university
police-affiliated events, such as campus
police force still focuses heavily on
conversations and presentations.
27
OUTREACH IN 2017, ISU POLICE
SCHEDULED
426
OUTREACH EVENTS
REACHING OVER
48,000 PEOPLE
AT A GLANCE IOWA STATE POLICE ARE STOPPING CRIME AND PROVIDING RESOURCES TO STUDENTS
WITH DONUTS AS THEIR BEST WEAPON
“YOU CAN SEE AN IMMEDIATE
IMPACT IN PEOPLE’S LIVES BECAUSE WE’RE
PROVIDING LIFE-CHANGING AND
LIFE-ALTERING
INFORMATION IN A POSITIVE, LIGHT-HEARTED WAY.”
Courtesy of Ian Jamieson for ISU Police
SafeRide drives 23,000 By Tyrus Pavicich
After staying at the library until far too late cramming for a test surrounded by empty coffee cups and books galore, Iowa State students are then faced with the unpleasant task of sleepily stumbling across campus roads in an effort to make it home unscathed.
Cue SafeRide, a service provided by
of the SafeRide app at the beginning
the Iowa State University Department
of the 2016 fall semester.
of Public Safety that offers students free rides between any university-
The app was important because
owned locations.
drivers initially had used radios to receive assignments from police
The program employs students known
dispatch, adding additional strain
as community service officers (CSOs)
to the department’s system,
who operate parking division vehicles
Lederman said.
for SafeRide between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m., during which time they continually
For riders, the app is easy to use:
ferry students across campus.
after logging in with a valid Net-ID, ordering a ride is as easy as dropping
“On a five-hour shift, you’ll probably pick up about 15, on a 10-hour shift
two pins on the map and submitting a request.
30-35,” said Sid Lederman, a CSO who has driven for SafeRide since October.
The ride information is then sent to tablets in SafeRide vehicles, through
Drivers took more than 23,000
which drivers accept trips and receive
passengers on 18,495 trips in 2017
information necessary to find and
alone, a number boosted by the release
transport riders.
31
The program looks a lot like a free
He recalled a coworker’s story about an
version of services such as Uber, but
intoxicated man who got in his car at
DPS consistently reminds students of
an intersection and asked for a ride. In
the key differences between them.
situations like that, “the CSO is gonna call it in and let dispatch know what’s
First, vehicles only run between
going on,” Lederman said. “Then it’ll
campus owned and affiliated properties
be up to the discretion of dispatch.”
such as residence halls and campus buildings. More importantly, though,
That’s because CSOs serve as the eyes
the program is meant to assist students
and ears of ISU police while they’re on
with safety, not to bring them home
the road, alerting them about crime
from the bar.
and potentially unsafe situations.
“The police really try to get it out there
Lederman’s primary focus as a CSO
that we are not your Uber,” Lederman
is working to make Iowa State a safe
said. “We are here as a safety service.
and welcoming place, and he views
If you are intoxicated, you should find
SafeRide as an important addition to
another ride.”
campus well-being.
32
Courtesy of Ian Jamieson for ISU Police
“Having someone not walk in the dark
the roads and sidewalks were slippery.
alone is definitely a plus,” Lederman
Walking by yourself at night, you didn’t
said. “Being able to give somebody
feel comfortable.”
a safe ride from point A to point B without them having to worry about
As a service to Iowa State students,
anything happening to them is good.”
SafeRide aligns with the ISU police’s goals of ensuring campus safety and
Iowa State student Jonathan O’Neill,
allowing students to feel comfortable
who is a sophomore in management,
by providing free, no-questions-asked
joked that he had ridden with
rides between campus-affiliated
Lederman at least three times in the
locations.
same day, adding that he tries to use SafeRide as much as he can.
Students can order a SafeRide between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. by using the app or
“It’s pretty convenient. The word just says it all. It’s safe.” O’Neill said.
by calling Iowa State police dispatch at 515-294-4444.
“When it was cold, it was good to use the SafeRide to get to places because
33
Jill Alt/Iowa State Daily
Answering the call By Jill Alt
On the other end of a call to the ISU Police non-emergency number, a dispatcher is ready to answer questions and send help if needed. Many calls turn out to be less than pressing: a lost flip flop or a sock which appeared to be a pipe bomb.
Other times, and often moments after a
“One night I got a call for an active
light-hearted encounter, the dispatchers
burglary, and the caller was watching
must switch gears as they receive a
this guy come in and out through this
high-priority call.
window taking stuff out and putting it in his car,” Yates said.
“Each call is kind of different, and we have this understanding that when we
Yates said four officers responded to the
answer the phone it’s a different call,”
call, but when they caught the guy, it
dispatcher Zach Girard said.
was all a misunderstanding.
With 36,000 students to look out for
“It turned out to be the resident that
on Iowa State’s campus, some pretty
had decided to move out of his dorm
wild calls come in for the Iowa State
through the window, instead of through
Police Department.
the door,” Yates said.
Hope Yates, a junior in kinesiology
Dispatcher Tammy Barker discussed
and health who works as a dispatcher
another incident that was not what it
for the ISU Police, once got a call that
seemed. Several years ago, a prop from
wasn’t what it seemed.
the Live Action Role Playing (LARPing)
35
The dispatchers urged students who witness an emergency to call 911. For non-emergencies, Iowa State Police can be reached at 515-294-4428.
Club caused some mass chaos
Dispatcher Hillary Anderson said her
unintentionally.
worst calls are suicidal situations.
“The LARPING club had left a prop in
Dispatchers said they get one or two
a box near the library,” Barker said.
calls involving suicide every week. An
“From a distance it looked like a pipe
officer takes extra shifts during finals
bomb. The bomb squad was sent out
to ensure that these calls are covered.
and it ended up being a sock.” “Suicide calls are always emotional, They also get more obscure items.
especially when you have worried
Girard reported getting a singular
family members,” Anderson said.
flip flop once. Dispatcher Julie Osborn said her worst However, these dispatchers’ jobs turn
calls are welfare checks. The police
heavy as calls can go from missing flip
will sometimes perform welfare checks
flops to suicide reports in an instant.
when friends or family members are unable to reach loved ones.
When taking calls, dispatchers urge callers to stay on the line to gather
Both Anderson and Girard said they
information for responding officers.
knew the job they were getting into
This led to a particularly awful call
when they started, and both find
for Girard.
ways to manage with the particularly rough calls.
“It was a domestic in progress, and we’re trying to have the caller stay on
“You’re talking to people on their worst
the line, and while it was in progress I
day,” Girard said. “You have to remove
had to listen to the assault go on while
yourself from it.”
they screamed and waited for the police to show up,” Girard said.
PEAK CALL TIMES The police get and respond to calls for service at all hours of the day, all days of the week. The below charts illustrate what times of the day and which days of the week the are most popular for officer-involved events.
EVENTS BY HOUR 1000
750
500
4:00
3:00
2:00
1:00
23:00
00:00
22:00
21:00
19:00
20:00
17:00
18:00
16:00
15:00
14:00
13:00
11:00
12:00
10:00
9:00
8:00
7:00
5:00
0
6:00
250
EVENTS BY DAY 2800
2100
1400
700
0
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Introducing body cams By Danielle Gehr
After officer-involved shootings in the last few years, public outcry for police body cameras led departments across the country to implement them. With the incorporation of these cameras, police departments now receive additional evidence for investigations and have the ability to quickly resolve complaints against officers.
For ISU Police, though, the main
spontaneously start recording without
motivation to buy body cameras was
turning them on, and they immediately
transparency, ISU Police Chief Michael
fixed that stuff,” Newton said.
Newton said. Now that the ISU Police have the “We’re able to show the community
second generation L3 cameras, these
that we’re doing the things that we say
issues have been resolved. The body
we’re doing,” Newton said. “It also is
cameras typically last around three
just another verification tool.
to five years. L3 also supplies in-car cameras for the ISU Police.
Cmdr. Geoff Huff of the Ames Police Department said Ames police will look
Newton said the ISU Police are in the
at what worked for the ISU Police as
process of deciding what they want
they plan to deploy their first body
to do long term for in-car and body
cameras by June 2018. The ISU Police
cameras, so they may see what the
piloted the body cameras in late 2016
Ames Police decide on and take that
and had full implementation by early
into consideration.
2017. ISU Police used a company called L3 to buy its body cameras.
ISU Police Officer Kaitlyn Boor hasn’t found many issues with wearing
“The first generation that this company
the body cameras besides sometimes
provided would sometimes just
forgetting to turn it on.
38
Lyn Keren/Iowa State Daily
“I guess to me when I first started this
“I think everybody around here is
job (in 2015), I think that was kind
actually pretty open to them,” Boor
of an expectation that I was going
said. “The only time where we kind
to be monitored in a way during any
of fret is when we have to go to the
interaction I had with the community,”
bathroom or something like that.
Boor said.
We’re like looking down making sure that they’re off.”
Before body cameras, police started using in-car cameras with microphones
Sometimes the police officers forget
on their belt. Newton said that when
and they have to redact the recordings,
in-car cameras were first used, officers
Newton said.
felt uncomfortable about being recorded, but as years passed, they
Parts of the community don’t like being
adjusted to it.
recorded by officers, and many will ask
40
Hannah Olson/Iowa State Daily
if they are being recorded. Police
transparency any more.”
are encourage to tell them if they are being recorded. If the officers are asked
Supervisors will randomly select
if they can turn the recording off,
footage to review. They also use the
typically the answer is no.
footage as a training tool. When using the video as evidence, officers often
Boor said she feels it helps the
have to watch themselves on screen.
community because “if an officer acted
Some may find this cringy to hear their
poorly during a certain situation, then
voice and see their mannerisms, but
we have these to fall back on.”
Boor sees it differently.
Huff said, “Everybody wants
“To me it’s always more so intriguing
transparency until it’s them that’s being
reliving a situation more than cringing
recorded, and then they’re not so big on
or anything like that,” Boor said.
41
Courtesy of Anthony Greiter for ISU Police
Hires and promotions In 2017, the Iowa State University Department of Public Safety had eight new hires and one promotion. Chief Michael Newton took over as the head of the Department of Public Safety in April 2017 after coming from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Police New Hires:
Parking New Hire:
Michael Newton
Kim Skelton
Police Chief and
Dispatcher
Assistant Vice President Andrew Starcevic
Dispatcher
Police Promotion:
Brandon Bjoin
Police Officer
Aaron DeLashmutt Assistant Chief
Julie Osborn
Dispatcher
Jake Comstock
Dispatcher
Scott Lindley
Police Officer
Tanner Hanson
Police Officer
42
IN THE
“BE A FAN STANDS
138 OWI 197 *1st, 2nd, & 3rd offense
PUBLIC
INTOX *1st, 2nd, & 3rd offense
331
POSSESSION OR PURCHASE OF ALCOHOL UNDERAGE *number represents one person
NOT A PAIN IN THE GRASS”
Luke McDonell/Iowa State Daily
SART celebrates 20 years By Lindsey Settle
For more than 20 years, the Story County Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) has created a survivor-centered approach that bridges all professional agencies involved in providing the best care possible to victims of sexual assault.
Formed in 1997 from a grant, SART
That team includes a sexual assault
celebrated its 20th anniversary of
nurse examiner, a sexual assault
serving sexual assault survivors in 2017.
advocate and a law enforcement officer.
“These different organizations came
The process of aiding a survivor can
together to submit a paper to ask
begin in a variety of ways, but one way
for more funding to support this
when a survivor is in need of care,
idea of putting this team together
begins with medical attention.
to better respond to sexual assaults that are reported,” said former SART
After the initial response, the
coordinator Julie Roosa about the team
prosecuting attorney, the fourth agency
forming in 1997.
group within SART, may pursue legal action if desired by the survivor.
Currently composed of 11 agencies, SART’s goal is to provide a multi-
Working within SART as sexual assault
disciplinary coordinated response that
advocates, “ACCESS (Assault Care
best supports a survivor’s needs.
Center Extending Shelter and Support) is truly the glue that holds everyone
Once a SART agency is contacted by a
together,” said SART Officer Anthony
survivor, a three-person team responds.
Greiter.
45
ACCESS supports the survivor through the process of reporting a sexual assault as well as for any future support. It is ongoing advocacy that a survivor can call upon at any time. SART is confidential to the extent possible and helps the survivor seamlessly transition from one agency to the next agency that’s needed.
Dave Konopa, former Ames Police
Although more commonplace today,
detective, said, “It has definitely grown.
SART was a new concept to aiding
From what I’ve seen, looking back, it’s a
survivors in 1997.
lot better than what it used to be. There was a lot of confusion.”
“At the time this was new,” said Roosa, who was the SART coordinator for Story
Konopa was referring to a lack
County from 2002 to 2003.
of coordinated responses. SART’s initial challenge was communicating
“This idea of having a sexual assault
consistently with each agency,
survivor go to the hospital and be
participating in SART.
examined by a professional who is sensitive and trained to do that, and
Today, the three-person response team
then that advocate comes in, supports
of a nurse examiner, advocate and a law
that person,” Roosa said.“The police
enforcement officer are all present for
officer is there as a resource, if wanted,
the initial response, but that’s not how
but not demanding that necessarily,
it always was.
really letting the survivor decide.” “It wasn’t everyone responding at the During the first few years, SART’s
same time,” Konopa said. It has been
mission included re-examining the
a great aid to the survivor that an
question, “What if our common goal
advocate is present during the process
is to best support a sexual assault
if the survivor needs it.
survivor, whatever that looks like for that survivor?” Roosa said.
SART’s establishment was a big step in the right direction for local agencies
Over time, SART’s continual internal
to seriously address the issue of
development has added to its success.
sexual assault.
46
“I think it was to be able to provide
trained in the SART process, including
better services to victims, better
officers from the Ames, Iowa State,
collection of evidence, better response
Nevada, Huxley and Story City police
to their needs, better prosecutions in
departments and Story County
the end,” Konopa said.
Sheriff’s Office.
SART’s focus has always been about
The elimination of a SART
putting the control back in the hands of
coordinator today speaks volumes
the survivor.
to the team’s success. The role was discontinued because of
Today, that effort includes the Start
SART’s ability to communicate
by Believing campaign. The campaign
effectively between agencies.
aims to bring awareness to the topic of sexual assault as SART incorporates a
SART agencies collaborate during
survivor-centered approach into that
monthly meetings where they do case
education effort.
updates and clarify whether further follow-up is needed.
“We always start by believing,” Greiter said. “We need that friend or trusted
SART agencies include:
person to start by believing to ensure
• ISU Police
that victim makes it to us.”
• Ames Police • Story County Sheriff’s Office
Another one of the biggest
• Nevada Police
improvements to the program was the
• Huxley Police
24-hour, seven-day staffing of trained
• Story City Police
SART nurses within Story County.
• ACCESS
Today 13 nurses are trained to respond
• Mary Greeley Medical Center
to any call.
• Thielen Student Health Center • Story County Medical Center
Shannon Knudsen, the sexual assault
• Story County Attorney’s Office
nurse examiner (SANE) coordinator for Story County, said training for nurses on how best to respond is based on national protocols. An officer from every Story County law enforcement entity also has been
47
Engagement and inclusion By Alex Connor
During the summer of 2017, ISU Police were getting ready for the fall semester. At the forefront of these preparations was building community and developing leadership. One of the solutions for Iowa State Police was changing the name of the police department’s Multicultural Liaison Officers (MLOs) to Engagement and Inclusion Officers. “Engagement and Inclusion Officers is
outreach and assistance to all members
not just a name change — it’s a rebrand
of the Iowa State community.
of what those officers are for,” Chief Michael Newton said.
The engagement aspect of the rebrand aims to establish a partnership with the
Newton said one of the common
community rather than just knowledge
things he was hearing from students,
of the issues at hand.
faculty and staff before summer break was confusion on the role of
As for the inclusion portion of the
the police department’s Multicultural
rebrand, Newton and the police
Liaison Officers when that was already
department want all students, faculty
a program developed within the
and staff to know they are there
academic departments.
for them.
“We really felt as we talked as a
“One of my visions is moving forward,
group and talked to faculty and
building community,” Newton said.
staff and students that by having an
“And I can’t just build community
Engagement and Inclusion Officer we
with one segment of the population or
were wrapping into the whole of the
pockets of the population.
community,” Newton said. The program is also being expanded, The intent of the Engagement and
with more officers within the
Inclusion Officers is to provide
department filling the responsibilities
48
that comes with the position, to
to be involved in engagement and
provide more opportunities to interact
inclusion — including the chief. I’m
with students in non-police settings.
going to be out there going to events and talking to people because that’s
“We want to engage the community
how we build community and that’s
differently,” Newton said. “And I also
how we have successful community
look at it as all of our officers need
engagement.”
A Statement from ISU Police:
Multicultural Liaison Officers embedded in academic departments across campus.
The ISU Police Department Engagement and Inclusion Officers (formerly MLO’s) provide outreach and assistance to all members of the ISU Community. In consultation with a
Allow for expansion of the program from three to seven officers with additional officers to join in the near term.
number of campus stakeholders, we made
Engagement represents our desire to be
the decision to change the name from MLO
an active partner in improving climate and
to Engagement and Inclusion Officers to:
inclusion represents our belief that our entire community should be invested in
Establish an identity more closely aligned
cultivating an inclusive campus. We have
with the principles and practices of the
established a formal partnership with the
community policing models used by law
Office of Diversity and Inclusion to increase
enforcement agencies nationwide.
opportunities for interfacing with students in
Avoid any confusion with the expertise or
non-police-related settings.
duties and responsibilities currently held by
49
THANK YOU for keeping us SAFE!
*and for ALL the donuts!