Cop Block - Iowa

03/18/2025

Des Moines, IA - The Iowa Senate has advanced a bill that effectively shields law enforcement from accountability. The bill prohibiting the existence of citizen police review boards in Iowa cities is now headed to the House.

“At least six cities — Iowa City, Cedar Rapids, Ames, Coralville, Dubuque and University Heights — would be required to dismantle their citizen police review boards if the bill becomes law. The Senate passed it in a 37-9 party-line vote, with four senators excused.”

The cities in Iowa that currently have citizens' police review boards would be required to disband them if the bill becomes law.

03/06/2025

Dubuque, IA - In a move that has sparked outrage and shocked the community, the Dubuque County Sheriff's Office announced the hiring of its newest Deputy, Matthew Pothoff.

In 2017, Pothoff was arrested for drugging and sexually abusing an underage girl, in his home. A now viral article from the Dyersville Commercial details the charges.

“Matthew D. Pothoff, 17, is charged in Iowa District Court of Dubuque County with third-degree sexual abuse, a felony. He was arrested Sept. 9, according to court records.

Court documents state that Pothoff, then 16, gave a teen girl younger than him a “fizzy Kool-Aid drink” that made her dizzy and black out at his residence in October. She reported awaking to the Pothoff sexually abusing her.”

Is Matthew Pothoff the type of person we should entrust with the power and authority to enforce our laws?

Who conducts background checks and sets the hiring standards at the Dubuque County Sheriff’s Office?

11/14/2022

Indianola, IA - The Indianola police have lost an Altoona PD K9? We have so many questions… How does this happen with a trained police dog?

The dog was last seen west of Indianola. According to the Altoona PD, K9 Zeke is trained in criminal apprehension. The dog could pose a threat to public safety, if approached.

*** UPDATE 22:35: K9 Zeke has been found and is back home safe with his handler in Altoona! Thank you to all those who called and assisted in locating Zeke! ***

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IPD needs assistance locating Altoona PD K9 Zeke. Zeke was last seen running eastbound from R63 and South of Highway 92. Please do not attempt to capture Zeke. If you see him, contact Ofc. Schumacher with the Indianola Police Department at 515-961-9400.

03/31/2021

Ames, IA - Ames police officer, Jason Eaton, was arrested on Monday night and charged with eluding police and operating while intoxicated after leading Iowa State Patrol on a chase reaching speeds of 130mph, in a 70mph zone, going the wrong direction on the highway.

Ames Police declined to comment, citing a "confidential personnel matter". However, they did confirm that officer Eaton has been placed on *PAID* administrative leave pending the outcome of an internal investigation.

"While interacting with [Eaton] I could smell the strong odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from the defendant's breath. The defendant admitted to consuming 1-2 beers. There were multiple open containers of alcoholic beverages in the front passenger compartment of the vehicle and multiple un-opened containers of alcoholic beverages."

Story: https://www.weareiowa.com/article/news/crime/ames-police-department-officer-arrested-in-highi-speed-chase-charged-with-owi/524-283b8ae7-5c26-4697-ba51-9c9c6e9239b3

03/31/2021

Creston, IA - Follow Up - This isn't the first time domestic abuser, Creston police Sgt. Eric Shawler has been in the news for violent acts and poor judgement...

In 2008, Sgt Shawler responded to a call at the local Fareway grocery store for a customer having a seizure. Upon arrival Shawler attempted to arrest the patient, Ronald Adkisson, for being "combative" with medical responders.

When Adkisson attempted to resist the arrest, Shawler deployed his taser, tasing Adkisson 3 times. Adkisson was arrested and released that same evening. About 15 minutes after his release, an off duty nurse found Adkisson unresponsive on a bench outside the police station. Adkisson was pronounced dead at the scene.

After an investigation cleared Shawler and medical staff of any wrong doing, the police and medical responders were sued by the family of Ronald Adkisson. The lawsuit was settled for $33,000 in September 2011.

“People coming out of epileptic seizures aren’t able to fully understand commands. The question here is whether there was any immediate harm in him being at the store. If there wasn’t, then they should have given him time to recover. ... Many law enforcement agencies aren’t trained in how to identify and handle epileptic patients.”

— Dale Todd, a former president of the Iowa Epilepsy Foundation

Story: https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/investigations/2013/12/22/creston-after-seizure-man-is-tased-dies/4163873/

03/29/2021

Creston, IA - Creston police officer, Eric Shawler, was arrested on one count of domestic abuse on Sunday, following a DCI investigation. The Creston PD has placed Shawler on paid administrative leave.

If you think a paid vacation for domestic abuse is unacceptable, contact:

Chief Paul Ver Meer
Phone: 641-782-8402
Email: [email protected]

"In a news release, officials said at about 4 a.m. officers went to 306 West Seneca to investigate an incomplete 911 call by a woman reporting the assault. Upon arrival, officers said they were met by an adult woman with visible physical injuries. She reported being assaulted by Eric Shawler, who was off-duty at the time."

Story: https://www.kcrg.com/2021/03/29/creston-police-officer-charged-with-domestic-assault/

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"Two studies have found that at least 40% of police officer families experience domestic violence, in contrast to 10% of families in the general population," the National Center for Women & Policing says. "A third study of older and more experienced officers found a rate of 24%, indicating that domestic violence is 2-4 times more common among police families than American families in general."

Study:https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Michael-Todd-4/publication/226691138_Violence_in_Police_Families_Work-Family_Spillover/links/569ff50108aee4d26ad28cce/Violence-in-Police-Families-Work-Family-Spillover.pdf

Related Story: https://kutv.com/news/local/40-of-police-officer-families-experience-domestic-violence-study-says

03/25/2021

SCOTUS - The Biden administration is urging the Supreme Court to uphold the 1st circuit courts ruling, allowing police to conduct warrantless searches and seizures of persons and/or their property based on the “community caretaker” doctrine.

The Supreme Court began hearing oral arguments today in the case of Caniglia v. Strom. The court’s decision will have a lasting impact on how the 4th amendment will be interpreted going forward.

“A case that asks whether the Fourth Amendment's usual warrant requirement should be waived when the police conduct a warrantless home search while carrying out a so-called "community caretaker" function, such as when the cops perform a "wellness check" on a potentially troubled or injured person.”

Story: https://reason.com/2021/03/25/sonia-sotomayor-questions-warrantless-gun-seizure-in-big-fourth-amendment-case/

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Fourth Amendment of the US Constitution:

“The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.”

03/23/2021

Eldora, IA - First amendment auditor Floyd Wallace was held at gun point by Eldora police officer Brandi Valverde and a civilian, as he filmed outside the Eldora City Hall building.

After watching this video it is clear that officer Valverde should never be allowed to patrol the streets of Eldora, IA or any community in Iowa.

All questions and concerns about the actions of officer Valverde or her employment status with the Eldora PD can be directed to:

Chief of Police Anthony Schrad
Eldora Police Dept
641-939-3333

Video: https://youtu.be/e1zh6_n9i7c

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Update: The Hardin County Attorney’s office has released a statement declining to file charges against the civilian, Troy McDonald, who pointed his gun at Mr. Wallace.

All questions and concerns regarding the lack of charges against Troy McDonald can be directed to the following:

Hardin County DA Darrell Meyer
641-939-8118
or email at [email protected]

03/20/2021

An activist in Portland has turned the tables on law enforcement, creating a facial recognition software to identify officers who conceal their identity.

“For a while now, everyone was aware the big guys could use this to identify and oppress the little guys, but we’re now approaching the technological threshold where the little guys can do it to the big guys,” Andrew Maximov, a developer working on a similar project, told the NYT. “It’s not just the loss of anonymity. It’s the threat of infamy.”

https://futurism.com/the-byte/activists-build-facial-recognition-id-cops-hide-badges

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/21/technology/facial-recognition-police.html =https://t.co/6aQLVYGBUi

https://futurism.com/the-byte/cops-arrested-innocent-man-facial-recognition

03/15/2021

Des Moines, IA - Polk County Attorney John Sarcone is speaking out and dismissing the public outrage that arose after his failed attempt to prosecute Des Moines Register reporter Andrea Sahouri, for failure to disperse and interference relating to her arrest while covering the racial injustice protests, last summer.

"An Iowa prosecutor defended his unsuccessful pursuit of charges against a journalist who was arrested while covering a protest, saying Thursday that he believed the evidence was strong and that dismissing the case would have amounted to special treatment."

Dismissing the case against Ms. Sahouri would have amounted to upholding constitutional protections afforded to journalists under the 1st amendment. The prosecution of Ms. Sahouri was a clear case of politically motivated harassment, an egregious abuse of power, and most importantly a violation of Ms. Sahouri's civil rights.

We are calling for the immediate resignation of John Sarcone and demanding that all persons involved in the arrest and prosecution of Ms. Sahouri be held to account.

https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/prosecutor-defends-failed-effort-to-convict-iowa-journalist/article_10e46e9b-8638-591e-81ad-050900bdb2c6.html

03/14/2021

Iowa City, IA - Chris Kelly, the man at the center of what a judge referred to as a story of "walking while black", has filed a civil rights lawsuit against the City of Iowa City, Johnson County, and the police officers involved in his arrest on December 26th, 2019.

"At the time of his arrest, Chris Kelly was walking to his aunt’s house from the Hy-Vee on Waterfront, according to court documents. Court documents showed the tip came from a county prosecutor that he looked like Kelly looked had something heavy in his pocket and believed it could have been a gun.

In police surveillance, you can see Officer Travis Neeld wave Kelly across the street. He then pulled him over for jaywalking. Kelly was tackled, tased, and handcuffed. Police found Kelly to be a felon in possession of a weapon as well as having ma*****na.

A judge threw those charges out, saying the police made up a story to pull Kelly over."

Original Story:
https://www.kcrg.com/2020/10/20/judge-dismisses-charges-against-black-man-saying-he-was-targeted-by-iowa-city-police/

Recent Stories:
https://www.kcrg.com/2021/03/10/lawsuit-filed-against-city-of-iowa-city-after-2019-arrest/

https://cbs2iowa.com/news/local/civil-rights-suit-filed-against-iowa-city-and-johnson-county-for-2019-arrest