Section 661.1.2. Organization.

The department of public safety is administered by a commissioner who is appointed by and serves at the pleasure of the governor. Bureaus which provide planning and staff support, administer governor’s traffic safety programs, conduct staff inspections and investigate complaints against officers of the department report directly to the commissioner. The rest of the department is divided into the following eight divisions: administrative services, state patrol, capitol security, communications, fire marshal, criminal investigation, state medical examiner, and narcotics enforcement.

       1.2(1) The administrative services division, through its bureaus, provides primary support services to all line elements in the general field of business administration, data processing, collections, and office management.

       1.2(2) The division of state patrol is a law enforcement agency that primarily regulates the orderly flow of traffic on the state’s highways, and responds to local law enforcement agencies’ requests for emergency assistance. Peace officer members of this division have a duty to detect and apprehend criminals and enforce all state laws. Iowa Code section 321.2 imposes motor vehicle law enforcement duties upon this division and the commissioner may and does assign to this division other law enforcement responsibilities.

This division also assigns officers to the promotion of motor vehicle and other safety education, and will provide emergency transportation of substances needed by doctors, veterinarians, or hospitals, and support security for special events. Any citizen requesting such services may contact division or district headquarters, the addresses for which are listed in this chapter.

This division is also responsible for the highway emergency long-distance phone (HELP). Anyone calling 1-800-525-5555 from anywhere in Iowa will be connected with someone at the district headquarters in Des Moines who will try to provide immediate assistance.

       1.2(3) The division of capitol security is a law enforcement agency which performs police and security work, regulates the orderly flow of traffic, and preserves the peace in and around the seat of state government and at Terrace Hill.

       1.2(4) The communications division provides total police communications to the public safety sector including the department of public safety, police departments, sheriffs’ offices, and other local state and federal criminal justice agencies.

       1.2(5) The fire marshal division is responsible for the promotion and enforcement of fire safety, fire protection, elimination of fire hazards, and the enforcement of laws, rules and regulations concerned with fire prevention, such as the storage, transportation, handling, and use of inflammable liquids, combustibles, explosives, and liquid petroleum gas, and inspection of electric wiring, heating, and adequate fire exits for public buildings.

This division is also responsible for investigation into the cause, origin and circumstances of fires and the enforcement of all laws relating to the suppression of arson and apprehension of those persons suspected of arson. These functions are performed through the bureau of fire prevention and the bureau of arson and explosives.

       1.2(6) The division of criminal investigation is a law enforcement unit that conducts criminal investigations, enforces Iowa’s beer and liquor laws under Iowa Code chapter 123, pari-mutuel laws under Iowa Code chapter 99D, and lottery laws under Iowa Code chapter 99E, maintains the state’s central repository for all criminal history records, and operates the state criminalistics laboratory.

       1.2(7) The division of state medical examiner provides assistance, consultation and training to county medical examiners and law enforcement officials, keeps records concerning deaths or crimes requiring investigation by this division. The state medical examiner receives reports of deaths in Iowa affecting the public interest and may require autopsies.

       1.2(8) The division of narcotics enforcement has statewide primary responsibility for providing investigative law enforcement relating to narcotics and other controlled substances. Assistance is provided to county and city agencies by providing related intelligence information, special purpose investigative moneys and investigative assistance and training.