Iowa City Police employee to be recognized for 50 years of service

IOWA CITY — Back in early 1980s, then Iowa City police officer Dave Harris was at the Johnson County Courthouse when he heard a commotion.

A man had been sentenced to life in prison and was trying to make his escape. Harris jumped in.

'The chase was on,' Harris said. 'I jumped down a wall out by the old post office, dropped about seven feet, pursued him and caught him.'

'That's when I realized my back was messed up again,' he said.

The injury led to a back surgery. It was Harris' third back operation, all from injuries sustained in the line of duty. After his third surgery, the doctors told him he could no longer work as a police officer, ending his career in 1985. But, that was far from the end of his time with the city.

'The day I retired on the police department, the chief called me into his office and asked me if I wanted to work there and I said, 'Yes,' ' Harris recalls.

Thus began the second phase of Harris' career, one that has continued to this day. On Friday, Harris — now 74 — is to be recognized for 50 years of continuous employment with the city, a feat unrivaled by any other current city employee, City Manager Geoff Fruin said.

'It is hard to imagine any current or future employee ever matching this length of service,' Fruin said. 'We literally had to create a new category of service awards to match Dave's longevity record with the city.'

A career begins

Born and raised in Iowa City, Harris said he did not have any intention of going into law enforcement. He already had a job when an officer on the force suggested he give it a try. Harris wasn't certain, so the officer suggested taking a dispatcher position with the city. Harris was hired in January 1967.

'I took that job and about seven months after that, I took the test to join the police department and I got hired,' he said.

The department was a lot smaller then, but officers dealt with similar problems as they do today, Harris said. The difference was in how officers handled them.

'We had a lot of freedom at that time,' he said. 'It was our decision to file charges or not. It was our decision on how to make an arrest. We had, at that particular time, carte blanche on how you handled the situation. Totally different from what it is today.'

After six years on the department, Harris was promoted to sergeant. He oversaw different patrol shifts before moving to the detective bureau and then back to patrol.

'Terrific leadership style'

One of the officers Harris supervised as sergeant was Matt Johnson, who was hired in 1977. Johnson, who retired as a captain in 2010, called Harris a 'consummate field supervisor.'

'Dave had just a terrific leadership style and he ended up having a bunch of people on his watch that just wanted to work,' Johnson said. 'He inspired that ... I think you could safely say you would never get assigned to or take a call he wouldn't take himself. At the end of the night, he'd come in and praise what you were doing and inspire you to go out there and keep doing more.'

Former Lt. Mike Brotherton, who was hired in 1978 and retired last year, agrees.

'He was a good sergeant,' Brotherton recalled this week. 'He gave me a lot of mentoring and leadership. He helped me become the officer I am.'

Overseeing evidence

After injuries ended his police career in 1985, Harris immediately rejoined the department as a dispatcher before becoming a community service officer. When other sergeants on the force were having trouble keeping up with the evidence department in 1993 or 1994, Harris was asked to take over those duties.

'And I've been there ever since,' he said.

Harris' duties these days include taking in, inventorying and housing all of the evidence officers collect. He takes it to court when necessary or to the state crime lab for testing.

'In the last 10 to 15 years, it's gotten much harder to do,' Harris said. 'We have to keep track of everything and every time it moves and who moved it and why you moved it. It's constant computer entries.'

Working in evidence also gives Harris a unique look at crime trends in the city. Harris said he sees a lot of firearms and illicit drugs are a constant presence.

'I would almost venture to say two-thirds of our job is drugs,' he said.

A 'people person'

Harris and Johnson would go on to become lifelong friends and Johnson married Harris' cousin. When Johnson retired in 2010, he started to volunteer one day a week with Harris in the evidence department.

'Just the absolute epitome of a people person,' Johnson said of Harris. 'I don't know of anybody who has met Dave that doesn't walk away with a positive impression. He is just that kind of guy. He just leaves you with a very positive outlook. That's the way he led as a supervisor, that's the way he is as a friend, that's the way he is when he meets people.'

'I plan on being here'

When new Police Chief Jody Matherly joined the department earlier this year, it took a couple weeks for him and Harris to finally meet. When they did, Matherly said, they discussed Harris' longevity with the department.

'Something that struck me ... he said he's never walked into the police department to work and not enjoyed the fact that was he was walking in,' Matherly said. 'He really enjoys working here and has never had a bad day. That speaks volumes for his work ethic and attitude.'

Even with 50 years of service in varying roles with the department under his belt, Harris said he has no intention of leaving any time soon.

'As long as I'm healthy and as long as I can do this and as long as I like it, I plan on being here,' he said.

l Comments: (319) 398-8238; lee.hermiston@thegazette.com