Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier
by Jon Erickson
Courier staff writer
CEDAR FALLS - Efforts to split the Public Safety Department into separate police and fire departments are still mired in a legal and political quagmire.
An Iowa City attorney on retainer by the League of Iowa Municipalities is reviewing the legality of options for restructuring the Public Safety Department.
The City Council voted to disband the department in January. However, the council has had some differences of opinion on how the separate police and fire departments will be structured. There are also a number of legal questions regarding collective bargaining agreements.
"There are both political and procedural challenges," said Mayor Jon Crews. "We need to get something legal and get four (council) votes for it."
Crews expects a response from the attorney on a new ordinance governing the departments in about a month.
In the meantime, the city has made some temporary changes in the police department.
In March, Crews appointed police Capt. Dean Williams as acting public safety director, replacing Jeff Olson. Olson returned to his role as deputy director of support services, as well as becoming first-shift captain. Later, the city appointed police Sgt. Dan Sink as an acting captain and moved Jerry Schroeder, who has been captain in charge of all patrol shifts, to third shift. The moves put a captain on duty in charge of each of the patrol shifts.
"Structurally it’s still the same as two months ago," Crews said.
The council hopes to still save money on personnel costs after the departments are restructured. Much of that money was saved by cutting down on overtime paid to officers and firefighters, and many on the council want to see policies regarding scheduling stay the same to keep overtime potential down.
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