Johnson County Supervisors look toward joint law enforcement facility with Iowa City

IOWA CITY — The Johnson County Board of Supervisors is likely to approve a resolution this week that formalizes its interest in exploring the feasibility of a joint law enforcement facility for the sheriff’s office and the Iowa City Police Department. The facility would likely house the sheriff’s office, county jail and police department.

While conversations between county and city officials about a joint law enforcement facility have been going on for months — informally, as well as by the county’s Criminal Justice Coordinating Committee — the resolution is the first action either party has taken.

“This resolution is simply to formalize our desire to work with the City of Iowa City as we continue our discussions concerning the sheriff’s facility and jail,” said Jon Green, chair of the Board of Supervisors.

The Board will vote on the resolution at its formal meeting Thursday, but supervisors have already indicated their support.

In addition to the resolution, the county also is sending a formal letter to Iowa City, asking it to take similar action to declare its interest in investigating a joint law enforcement facility.

Architectural firms discussing joint facility

The current county jail is overcrowded, posing safety concerns for both inmates and staff, and requiring that some inmates be housed at facilities outside Johnson County. Between 2021 and 2023, the county paid an average of $387,000 per year to house inmates out of county, according to county data.

Iowa City’s police department is in a similar situation. Officials have said the department’s current space, which is housed within city hall, isn’t fit for long term use due to its age and overcrowding concerns.

Both Johnson County and Iowa City completed space needs assessments of their facilities in the past two years. The two architectural firms that completed the studies — OPN architects and Shive-Hattery — have been meeting to discuss what a joint facility could look like.

“It was just kind of happenstance, but we started talking with the sheriff and if it would make more financial sense and be a responsible decision to come together, so we're not duplicating or building two law enforcement facilities in Johnson County at the same time, when there's probably an opportunity for some shared spaces,” Iowa City Police Chief Dustin Liston said at a Criminal Justice Coordinating Committee meeting.

A space needs assessment by Shive-Hattery in summer 2024 recommended construction of an $80 million facility that would serve as the sheriff’s office and jail. That proposal did not take into account a facility shared with Iowa City police.

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Potential bond in 2026

The Criminal Justice Coordinating Committee is proposing to put a bond issue before voters in November 2026 that would fund the project if approved.

A joint county/city project referendum would require 50 percent approval from voters, as opposed to the 60 percent required if the county alone were to introduce another bond.

The county has previously tried to finance jail improvements through bond referendums in 2012 and 2013. Both proposals received more than 50 percent approval from voters, but needed 60 percent to pass.

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