ISSDA Resolutions

IOWA STATE SHERIFFS’ AND
DEPUTIES’ ASSOCIATION
2024 RESOLUTIONS

#1

Whereas, the Iowa State Sheriffs’ and Deputies’ Association has benefited from outstanding and professional leadership; and

Whereas, through the leadership of President Shawn Ireland, the Iowa State Sheriffs’ and Deputies’ Association has earned the respect of the law enforcement community and exhibited the highest possible image, now therefore:

Be it hereby resolved, by the Iowa State Sheriffs’ and Deputies’ Association, in convention assembled, that the membership expresses its profound gratitude to President Shawn Ireland for his dedicated leadership, and for the sacrifices he has made for the Association and its members.

#2

Whereas, the Iowa State Sheriffs’ and Deputies’ Association must rely on its membership and participation, there from, to operate successfully and to achieve its desired goals; and

Whereas, many Association members give unselfishly of their time and energies to help make the Association successful, outstanding, and achieve its goals; and

Whereas, an active and loyal membership is the mainstay of our Association, now therefore:

Be it hereby resolved, by the Iowa State Sheriffs’ and Deputies’ Association, in convention assembled, that appreciation is extended to the membership by President Shawn Ireland.

#3

Whereas, the Iowa State Sheriffs’ and Deputies’ Association committee chairpersons and committee members have provided outstanding and dedicated service on behalf of the members of the Association; and

Whereas, they have given their time and talents to benefit the Iowa State Sheriffs’ and Deputies’ Association; and

Whereas, our Association could not function without the cooperative efforts of our committee chairpersons and their committee members, now therefore:

Be it hereby resolved, by the Iowa State Sheriffs’ and Deputies’ Association, in convention assembled, that appreciation is expressed to all ISSDA committee chairpersons and their committee members for a job well done.

#4

Whereas, the Iowa State Sheriffs’ and Deputies’ Association enjoys a great partnership with its honorary membership that has helped the Association enhance law enforcement education and professionalism, now therefore:

Be it hereby resolved, by the Iowa State Sheriffs’ and Deputies’ Association, in convention assembled, that the Association expresses its thanks and appreciation to the Honorary Membership of the Association by President Shawn Ireland.

#5

Whereas, the Iowa State Sheriffs’ and Deputies’ Association prospers from the longevity of its membership; and

Whereas, there are numerous members of the Iowa State Sheriffs’ and Deputies’ Association who have given the past years to support our association, have protected the citizens of Iowa, and will retire at the end of this year, 2024, now therefore:

Be it hereby resolved, by the other members of the Iowa State Sheriffs’ and Deputies’ Association, in convention assembled, that the Association expresses its thanks, appreciation, and wishes for a long and prosperous future through our President, Shawn Ireland.

#6

Whereas, we support all military personnel and especially those who serve our country who are sheriffs, deputies, jailers, and other Sheriff’s Office employees, now therefore:

Be it hereby resolved, by the Iowa State Sheriffs’ and Deputies’ Association in convention assembled, that without any of these people giving to our nation, we would no longer have the freedoms that this Country has stood for since our independence in 1776; we appreciate the past, present, and the future generations that step up to the challenge of protecting this Country and everything that it stands for.

#7

Whereas, the Office of Sheriff is the only direct link between professional law enforcement and the voting public; and

Whereas, the individuals who have served and are now serving as sheriff in this great state continually strive to increase professionalism in law enforcement, now therefore:

Be it hereby resolved, by the Iowa State Sheriffs’ and Deputies’ Association, in convention assembled, that the Association strongly opposes any attempts to change the Office of Sheriff from a position elected by the people to a position of political appointment.

#8

Whereas, we believe that following the prescribed uniform and vehicle standards project professionalism upon the Office of Sheriff, and the Association has provided a copy of the Association’s Uniform Manual to all sheriffs in the state; and

Whereas, we respect the Office of Sheriff and understand each sheriff has the ability to make decisions for their office; and

Whereas, we would respectfully request that sheriffs follow these standards when making decisions involving uniforms and vehicle markings, now therefore:

Be it hereby resolved, by the Iowa State Sheriffs’ and Deputies’ Association, in convention assembled, that we strongly believe that it is in the best interest of our Association that all uniformed sheriffs and deputies wear the same standard official uniforms and all marked patrol vehicles are white in color with the same standard official vehicle markings.

#9

Whereas, the top priorities for the Iowa State Sheriffs’ and Deputies’ Association in 2024 reflect our on-going commitment “to serve and protect the people of Iowa”; and

Whereas, the Iowa State Sheriffs’ and Deputies’ Association supports enhanced state funding for community-based corrections, substance abuse treatment, and mental illness treatment, Iowa must address the root problem of a lack of residential substance abuse treatment and mental health treatment programs and the resulting cost on Iowa’s local and state correctional systems; and

Whereas, we need to continue to work together to revise the protocol of Iowa’s involuntary commitment process among public safety agencies, the courts, and the hospitals; and

Whereas, we also support streamlining the admissions process for mental health and substance abuse involuntary commitments, to include established time frames between the hospital and our staff upon delivery of a patient, now therefore:

Be it hereby resolved, by the Iowa State Sheriffs’ and Deputies’ Association, in convention assembled, that we will support enhanced state funding for community-based corrections, substance abuse treatment, mental illness treatment, and assistance in developing protocol to streamline the involuntary commitment process.

#10

Whereas, the Iowa State Sheriffs’ and Deputies’ Association is interested in improving public relations and in particular, working with the youth of our state; and

Whereas, we have long supported and promoted the Iowa Y-Camp program and its activities when fiscally possible, now therefore:

Be it hereby resolved, by the Iowa State Sheriffs’ and Deputies’ Association, in convention assembled, that the Association will continue to support the Iowa Y-Camp program and activities.

#11

Whereas, the Iowa State Sheriffs’ and Deputies’ Association is interested in safely protecting Iowa’s elderly population from abuse and scams, now therefore:

Be it hereby resolved, by the Iowa State Sheriffs’ and Deputies’ Association, in convention assembled, that the Association will continue the efforts of many to make Iowa a safer place to live, especially for older Iowans, by continuing the partnership formed and promoting the cooperation fostered by the Triad Cooperative Agreement of Iowa.

#12

Whereas, Iowa sheriffs and deputies increasingly investigate high tech crimes and traveling criminals; and

Whereas, domestic and international terrorist acts threaten the safety and security of the State of Iowa, the United States, and all of the free world; and

Whereas, the sharing of information, intelligence, and training is critical to the prevention, deterrence, and investigation of terrorist acts and high tech crimes and traveling criminals, we ask policy makers to support legislation that provides meaningful measures to enhance Homeland Security, including specialized training for front line public safety workers, now therefore:

Be it hereby resolved, by the Iowa State Sheriffs’ and Deputies’ Association, in convention assembled, that the Association supports efforts of sharing intelligence, information, and training across the country and internationally through federally funded RISS projects such as the Mid-States Organized Crime Information Center (MOCIC).

#13

Whereas, the Iowa State Sheriffs’ and Deputies’ Association supports quality peace officer training through a strong centralized law enforcement academy; and

Whereas, we believe that Iowa should continue its pre-hire requirements for law enforcement officers, maintain the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy as the authorized training center for all basic law enforcement training, and provide appropriate resources to ensure a high quality academy program, now therefore:

Be it hereby resolved, by the Iowa State Sheriffs’ and Deputies’ Association, in convention assembled, that preparing peace officers to better protect the public safety and protecting themselves in the line of duty should be the highest priority for Iowa’s peace officer training programs through a strong centralized academy, and cost and convenience should be of secondary considerations.

#14

Whereas, the Iowa State Sheriffs’ and Deputies’ Association understands the importance and need for first responders to be able to communicate directly with each other, both in times of emergency and during daily operations; and

Whereas, we understand that radio interoperability remains a critical issue for first responders across the state, now therefore:

Be it hereby resolved, by the Iowa State Sheriffs’ and Deputies’ Association, in convention assembled, that efforts should continue to be taken across the state to ensure radio interoperability exits for all first responders.

#15

Whereas, we recognize that peace officers are more frequently being targeted for violence purely because of the uniform that they wear and the authority that they represent; and

Whereas, we acknowledge that some recent events across the nation have lowered the level of trust between the public that we serve and our law enforcement agencies, now therefore:

Be it hereby resolved, by the Iowa State Sheriffs’ and Deputies’ Association, in convention assembled, that we must remember that by and large the public that we serve is just as appalled by the targeting of peace officers as we are and we must strive to continue to build support among the citizens whom we serve and continue to lean on them for support for our offices.

#16

Whereas, the Iowa State Sheriffs’ and Deputies’ Association will continue to support and pray for the law enforcement officers protecting our great state and nation; and

Whereas, all members of the Iowa State Sheriffs’ and Deputies’ Association will continue to pray for every person who has given their life while serving and protecting our state and nation, now therefore:

Be it hereby resolved, by the Iowa State Sheriffs’ and Deputies’ Association, in convention assembled, that those individuals who have given their lives protecting the public will never be forgotten and will live on through the deeds of those who remain to carry on their service to the citizens of the State of Iowa and our great nation.

Respectively submitted this 5th day of December 2024.

Sheriff Keith Davis
Wayne County Sheriff’s Office
ISSDA Secretary

Approved by convention assembled as amended.