Budget struggles lead to few police officers

As cities across the state struggle with lean budgets, many are being forced to trim the ranks of their police departments. Dubuque has a budget shortfall of two-million dollars. The police department is under a hiring freeze with six police officer positions open. As Cedar Falls has grown, its police force has shrunk. The home of U-N-I now has four fewer officers than in 1980. The Iowa City budget is deep in red ink and the police department is expected to face a cut of 250-thousand dollars. Iowa’s other university town, Ames, is down just one police position, while Council Bluffs is down four officers from last year. In Iowa’s largest city, the Des Moines city council cut almost five-million dollars from the budget last month, which delays the hiring of nine police officers.