Peace Officers Gather to Discuss Vice

Des Moines, Iowa (January 12, 2001) – Law enforcement officials from across the state will be returning to the classroom over the next few months to discuss vice. A three-part educational series, titled Booze, Butts & Bingo: Vice Crimes in Iowa, will focus on enforcement of Iowa’s vice crimes and will separately address alcohol, tobacco and gaming regulations.

The Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division, in collaboration with several other state agencies, developed the series to offer certified peace officer training for law enforcement officers in Iowa, as well as continuing legal education (C.L.E.) for all city and county attorneys. The training is free to all participants and is funded by an appropriation of the Iowa legislature, as well as a private grant.

The training will be offered in all 99 county seat towns over the Iowa Communications Network (ICN). To date, several hundred officers have registered to participate in the training. Booze (Alcohol Laws) will be the topic on January 18th, Butts (Iowa’s new Tobacco Laws) will be presented on February 16th, and the series will conclude with Bingo (Gaming Laws) on March 18th.

Lynn Walding, ABD Administrator, explained the purpose of the training, “In Iowa, vice crimes are chiefly enforced at the local level. The series presents a unique opportunity to gather peace officers and prosecutors from across the state to discuss strategies and techniques to effectively regulate and control vice activities.”

“Categorically, vice crimes account for a disproportional amount of the criminal activity posed to law enforcement officials. Recent studies, for instance, have shown that alcohol misuse alone contributes to nearly 40% of all violent crimes. An effective enforcement strategy targeting vice crimes, therefore, can drastically reduce the overall crime rate in a community. And, given the catastrophic consequences that can flow from a single instance of drunk driving alone, an effective enforcement program is well worth the effort,” Walding added.

The city of Des Moines is a good example of a community that has developed such a strategy. Under Police Chief William Moulder’s command, the Des Moines Police Department adopted a proactive approach to vice activities. “The impact of the enforcement effort helped reduce the communities crime rate,” noted Chief Moulder.

The Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division, along with the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy, the Iowa Department of Public Safety, the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals and the Iowa Lottery, developed the series. An abridged version will be extended to the retail community in the springtime to help with compliance as well.