Budget cuts force D-C-I to cut help to local law officers

Recent murder investigations in Keokuk and Cresco were hampered by a lack of state help, thanks to funding cuts. Agents from the Division of Criminal Investigation were pulled off cases because they weren’t allowed to work overtime, for budget reasons. D-C-I Director Darwin Chapman says the public safety agency had to choose areas where it would cut back.He says they’re cutting overtime and supplies. Chapman explains the public-safety agency includes the D-C-I, state patrol, Fire Marshall, and narcotics enforcement.The agency normally does more than the minimum required training, and will cut back that training and the supplies required, to minimums that will still offer adequate training for officers. Chapman says department heads had to make hard choices when cutting their budgets and were able to avoid firings and layoffs, and in exchange gave up their spending on overtime and equipment. Chapman says the D-C-I is meeting with law-enforcement agencies to explain why they may have less state help to count on in investigations.