State to hold vice training for Iowa law officers

The state is holding three training sessions over the next few months to help local law officers clamp down on so-called “vice” crimes. Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division Administrator Lynn Walding says the three-part training series is called “Booze, Butts and Bingo: Vice Crimes in Iowa.” Walding says it’s an effort to boost enforcement against violators. He says cities that attack those crimes have a good success rate.The training will be offered in all 99 counties via the Iowa Communications Network. Walding says law officers and attorneys both can attend and get credit for the training.Walding says gambling is one of the vices that can be a problem in small towns. He says it’s on the rise in Iowa as some bars try to compete with the legal forms of gambling.Walding says they want to be sure all Iowa law officers know how to effectively control vice crimes.The first training session on state alcohol laws is today.