Arlen Ciechanowski
The head of the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy is retiring rather than face rejection from the Iowa Senate.
Arlen Ciechanowski has served as director of the agency that trains law enforcement cadets since 2011, but a key senator said last week that Ciechanowski did not have enough support in the state senate to be confirmed for another four-year term as the agency’s leader. Some senators said it was time for a “culture change” at the academy.
Concerns had been raised about the way Ciechanowski handled allegations of sexual harassment. In 2012, an agency employee who complained about the agency’s deputy director was fired, while the deputy director was reprimanded, but allowed to keep his job for another two years before he was fired.
Ciechanowski sent a letter to the governor (ILEA retirement letter 5.18.15) on Monday, saying he leaves the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy “in a better place” than when he took over.
Ciechanowski’s letter indicated he’ll retire on June 30. The governor has not announced a replacement. Branstad recently appointed retired Des Moines Police Chief Judy Bradshaw to serve as the agency’s deputy director.