Curious Iowa: How do police departments determine patrol routes?

While TV cop shows might have you believe a police officer’s day is filled with high speed car chases and dramatic arrests, the truth is sometimes less exciting.

It wouldn’t make for great television to include the more mundane parts of the job, like paperwork or patrols, but in reality, police spend a good amount of time just being present in the city where they work.

Spending time on patrol, even when there aren’t specific calls to respond to, means that officers can be available in different parts of their territory when something does come up. But how do officers decide where to spend their time while patrolling?

In this installment of Curious Iowa — a series from The Gazette that answers questions about the state, its people and our culture — The Gazette accompanied officers on patrol in Marion and Iowa City, and spoke with the Linn County Sheriff’s Office, to get an idea of how law enforcement officers decide which areas to patrol.

How are patrol areas divided in cities?

Both the Marion and Iowa City Police Departments have divided their respective cities into four quadrants for patrol assignments. In Marion, there is usually one officer assigned to patrol each zone during a 12-hour shift, and in Iowa City there are usually two officers per zone during each eight-hour shift. The number of officers patrolling at a time may increase for large events or other busy times.

Each shift also has a police sergeant, who may be patrolling or filling out paperwork, but can fill in when someone gets called to another zone, to make sure the whole city still has a police presence.

Officers are assigned to the same patrol area for long periods of time — at least a year, in Iowa City — in order to develop better relationships with the community members in that zone and become familiar with the streets, said Iowa City Police Sgt. Matthew Ties.

  Buy Photo

How are patrol areas divided in a county?

The Linn County Sheriff’s Office divides the county into four zones or three zones, depending on the number of personnel available during a shift. One deputy is assigned to each zone, and a sergeant roves between the areas, said Sheriff Brian Gardner.

During the summer and school breaks, there are usually four zones, but during the school year, there are usually three zones because one of the deputies is working as a school resource officer.

There may also be fewer zones during day shifts when there are other sheriff’s office cars out and about — like civil deputies who spend their time serving documents like notices and subpoenas. They could be called in to help with an emergency.

How do officers decide where to go within their zone?

Linn County contracts with 12 communities in the county — including Walford, which straddles the line between Linn and Benton counties — that don’t have police departments to provide law enforcement. As part of the contracts, the sheriff’s office has a designated number of hours deputies have to spend on patrol in the city each month. The required patrol hours vary depending on the city.

“So, when the deputies are not actively responding to a call for service, they are typically in one of those contract towns patrolling the town and getting in our town contract time,” Gardner said.

Deputies, and police officers, also will spend time patrolling in areas where there have been resident-reported issues, like excessive speeding or other concerns.

“Every now and then, there is a request, either from the citizenry or City Hall or from the command staff, to provide extra patrols, or directed patrol, in certain areas for a specific issue and those are done as time allows or during a specified time frame,” said Tom Daubs, public information officer for the Marion Police Department.

  Buy Photo

When there haven’t been extra patrols specifically requested anywhere, city police officers may drive randomly through their area, or they may check out parts of the zone where they’ve seen increased crime recently, for example several reports of thefts from cars in a certain neighborhood.

“Officers, when they work their areas regularly, they get to know people,” Ties said. “You know what’s normal for that area and what’s not.”

Have a question for Curious Iowa?

Curious Iowa is powered by your questions about the world around us. Tell us what you’d like The Gazette to investigate next.

Emily Andersen covers public safety for The Gazette.

Comments: (319) 398-8328; emily.andersen@thegazette.com