Carlisle, IA carlisle-ia.gov The official website of Carlisle, Iowa

TO REPORT A CRIME IN PROGRESS OR EMERGENCY CALL 911

CRIME INFORMATION - If you have information about a crime, illegal drug activity or a meth lab call 989-4121 or print this Report Form. You may remain anonymous if you choose.

COMMUNITY POLICING

The Carlisle Police Department operates under the Community Policing approach. This method involves citizens taking a proactive role in working with the Police Department and other agencies to protect our community and make our neighborhoods safer and healthier. The community policing approach to law enforcement recognizes the resource limitations in the criminal justice system and addresses that issue by taking some of the following actions:

The police work with the community, using all available resources to address problems (public and private agencies, individuals, neighborhood groups, business associations, etc.).
More emphasis is put on preventative methods to eliminate problems before they occur.
Better communications are established between community and police by meeting more frequently, understanding each other's concerns more clearly, trusting one another more and working together actively to solve problems by using the most appropriate resources.
Working together as a community to find better ways to help troubled children and raising our families with values that prevent anti-social behaviors.

Our community is best served when each of us accepts our part of the responsibility to make positive changes instead of blaming someone else for problems or thinking that someone else will fix them.

UNIFORM PATROL

Patrol officers operate under an active criminal interdiction patrol doctrine. The officers receive specialized training in drug and crime interdiction methods and technique. It is designed to detect crimes and the persons who commit them through aggressive traffic enforcement and aggressive patrol tactics.

With Carlisle's position within the Greater Des Moines Metro area and easy access by Hwy 5 and the Hwy 65 Bypass; the community is greatly impacted by traveling crime and transient criminals. Information and studies have shown that today's criminals are more mobile and spread there crimes to multiple communities to lower the risk of detection and capture. Also persons who transport controlled substances most typically use the roadways to move their products.

Through aggressive enforcement of traffic safety laws the Carlisle Police Department tackles two issues. First it helps improve traffic safety and reduce potential accidents. Second it gives the officer the ability to conduct field investigations that may produce confiscated drugs and weapons, and result in the arrest of drunk drivers and drivers impaired by drugs, persons who are driving under suspension because of drunk driving and other crimes, and persons who are wanted on arrest warrants.

If you have any questions regarding the Carlisle Police Department's Criminal Interdiction Program please submit email to the Chief of Police.

TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT

The Carlisle Police Department periodically participates in the nationwide Special Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP). The department receives grant money to fund enhanced traffic enforcement during certain times of year, often during busy travel periods around holidays.

You can help by making sure you are obeying all traffic and safety laws and properly use seatbelts every time you get in your car. Please contact the Carlisle PD at (515) 989-4121 with questions. Find more information about this and other Governor's Traffic Safety Bureau (GTSB) programs at the following website: http://www.dps.state.ia.us./gtsb/ .

In the coming year, the Police Department will be on heightened alert for seatbelt, speeding and other traffic violations.

INVESTIGATION

A preliminary investigation is performed by the patrol officer taking the initial report or complaint. The officer will typically conduct a thorough, on scene and area investigation and carry the case as far as he can. Many cases are cleared by the officer during this phase. The details of the incident or offense and results of the preliminary investigation are included in the case report.

Unresolved cases are reviewed to see if there are any investigative leads for follow up investigation. If there is, the case remains active. Active cases may be followed up locally by the patrol officer that took the complaint or assigned to an investigator of it appears the perpetrators are multi-jurisdictional. The case will be worked until it is either resolved or all investigative leads are exhausted. In the absence of any investigative leads, active investigation may be suspended but will resume if and when additional information is received.

More serious or involved cases are assigned to an investigator. The case will be investigated thoroughly and the results documented. If there is evidence to support that a crime has been committed and it appears there is sufficient evidence to charge a suspect, the case will be submitted to the County Attorney's Office for review and filing of charges.

If the case is serious, additional resources may be called in as needed. The department has the ability to process most crime scenes however for serious crimes such as homicide or arson, specialized units from the State Department of Public Safety are used to assist. These typically include the DCI Crime Lab and State Fire Marshal's Office.

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