Iowa Senate bans citizen police review boards statewide

The Iowa Senate has passed a bill that bans local governments from having citizen police review boards. The vote was 37 in favor and 9 against. This legislation, known as Senate File 311, targets cities with populations over 8,000 that already have civil service commissions. Currently, five cities in Iowa have these citizen review boards: Cedar Rapids, Coralville, Dubuque, Iowa City, and University Heights. If the bill becomes law, it will take effect on August 16, 2025, giving cities time to adjust. Senator Scott Webster, a Republican, argued that existing civil service commissions already handle police oversight. He claimed having both commissions and citizen boards creates unnecessary duplication. Webster feel that police officers cannot fully defend themselves in these citizen boards, which can lead to unfair treatment. In contrast, Democratic Senator Herman Quirmbach criticized the ban, saying it limits local control over police oversight. He emphasized the importance of these boards in building trust between communities and law enforcement. According to Quirmbach, good communication can help solve issues and promote understanding. Webster also mentioned that removing citizen review boards could help foster community policing, allowing officers to engage more freely with the public. He suggested incorporating community members into civil service commissions instead. The bill also includes changes to civil service commissions, such as increasing their membership from a minimum of three to between five and seven members. It requires cities to hire outside lawyers for conflicts of interest and outlines new appeal procedures for commission decisions. Senate Minority Leader Janice Weiner expressed concerns that the bill complicates an already functioning process and may lead to unnecessary costs. She called for due process while also worrying about added layers that may not improve outcomes. Webster cautioned that citizen review boards can be politically biased and linked them to movements against police funding. He believes that the bill will protect officers from unfair political pressures. The bill will now move to the House for further consideration, alongside a related measure, House File 641, which is open for debate.