FEMA funding drys up for specific police patrols of flood zone

CEDAR RAPIDS – A group of four or five Cedar Rapids police officers assigned to protect the flood impacted areas are now back on regular duty after federal money to pay for those extra officers dried up this week.

Right after the flood hit, the city received $2.3 million from FEMA to cover the cost of adding extra patrols. That money lasted all the way to November 2010.

At that time, the city got a 45 day extension and another $120,000. Now, that money has also run out and FEMA refuses to pay anymore. The city has appealed FEMA's decision and that appeal was denied.

“Obviously they weren't going to pay for this forever,” Cedar Rapids police Sgt. Cristy Hamblin said.

Now, police will patrol the flood affected area just like any other neighborhood.

“Really, what we're doing is going back to the way we had been patrolling prior to the flood,” Hamblin said.

Instead of relying on law enforcement, neighbors will have to depend on each other to keep watch.

“We're close. We know exactly what our neighbors are doing and what they're up to and who is visiting that should be visiting,” flood victim Laurie Etheridge said.

With fewer and fewer homes left standing, some flood victims say it only makes sense to scale back the patrols.

“It was absolutely critical in the first years after the flood, but as more time goes by, I see less and less activity down here,” Etheridge said.

The city has the power to restore those extra officers and at least one council member says he expects that to happen.

“Police will continue to patrol. The only thing that will change here is that now the tab will have to be picked up by the city and not by FEMA,” council member Chuck Wieneke said.

But for now, the group of cops assigned specifically to the flood area are back out on regular duty.

“We're going to have to take a wait and see approach. If we see crime start to go up, we'll have to increase our patrols,” Hamblin said. Hamblin also said the curfew remains in effect in the flood area and people can still be arresting for violating it.