Police Department Annual Report Covering 2022

The North Liberty Police Department’s Annual Report covering 2022 is now available and available online. The following message was included by Chief Diane Venenga as the introduction to the report.

In 2022, the classification of COVID changed and restrictions were gradually lifted which meant we were able to hold in-person meetings, trainings and community events. COVID still had an
impact on the department when responding to calls, as well as individuals and families being sick. I also believe COVID still had an impact on the crime rate in North Liberty. We only had a
slight increase in calls for service (by 140), where in years past it was generally over 1000. Other categories we track were also comparable to the numbers posted in 2021 and will be explained further in the tables and pages to follow. When reviewing these numbers, I anticipate that North Liberty will continue to be listed as one of the top 20 places to live in Iowa.
(NL #13 www.safewise.com).

Firsts

• The department celebrated several firsts in 2022. Each item below is an example of both how far this department has come and our commitment to continuing to move forward.
• We celebrated our first retirement when Juan Santiago retired after 15 years of service.
• We were the first agency in Iowa to get an InVeris Virtual Reality Training simulator. This is a decision making and force on force device that allows us to work on two officer responses, de-escalation skills, and duty to intervene scenarios. Devices such as this are the future of law enforcement training, and we are very excited for this opportunity.
• Officer Joel Miller became the first North Liberty officer to hold the title of Commander for the Johnson County Metro Bomb Team.
• Officer Andrew Jennings retired from the Johnson County metro dive team after 10 years being with the team.
• We purchased our first Trek E-bike for bicycle patrol.
• The mandatory process of migrating our Uniform Crime Reporting data from the State’s antiquated and obsolete server to their iCrime site was completed by our software vendor. This format provides a more efficient snapshot of reported crimes not only to the state, but also the FBI.
• We became Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) affiliated. This means we will be receiving and investigating crimes against children in North Liberty and the surrounding area. This affiliation will also increase funding opportunities for training and technology for these investigations.
• We completed year one of a two-year study on traffic stop data. An outside researcher reviewed our stops to see if there is disproportionate number of minority contacts and the specific outcomes.
• The department paired up with Coralville Police, Johnson County Sheriff’s Office, and CommUnity to hire a mental health liaison. Kieonna Pope is housed at our station and has been responding to crisis calls and performing follow up for the three agencies. This position has been a great addition not only for us, but our community members.
• At the beginning of the year, we hired two veteran officers when Rhonda Hayes and Jordan Gallagher joined our ranks. This was a new adventure and partnership with the officers’ Union to allow lateral transfers. They have both been a wonderful addition to our NLPD staff.

Awards

• Officers Andy Jennings and Justin Jacobi received Life Saving awards for successfully using CPR and an AED at a cardiac event call.
• Officer Liz Monroe was nominated and selected as the 2022 Officer of the Year

Community Outreach

• Our Community Service Officer, Bryan Davis, was invited and attended several community events throughout the year.
• We hosted our second mini police academy for area high school students.
• Officers participated in the Summer Send-Off kickball tournament.
• Officer Madole once again put together Thanksgiving meals for local families. Z’s Catering prepared 35 meals for families and individuals who expressed interest in the program via the
  pantry and schools.
• City staff, department staff, and members of the community came together to provide gifts to eight families for Christmas. We also hosted a pizza party for the families who were able to
  participate.

Training

Training continues to be a high priority for this department, and we strive to find and send officers to the best training that is available.

• Attended the base State ongoing training requirements.
• All officers completed the Active Bystandership for Law Enforcement (ABLE) that was formulated from Georgetown University. During this session, two in-house instructors covered mental health and the well-being of staff. https://www.law.georgetown.edu/cics/able/
• Officer Rick Vazquez became a certified firearms instructor for the department. This role consists of extensive training at the police academy, so we are pleased that we continue to have officers interested in taking on this added responsibility.

In conclusion, 2022 has been another productive year for this department, and I take great pride in being North Liberty’s Police Chief. Across the state, agencies have had a difficult time recruiting and retaining officers while our department has remained strong. The department appreciates the support that has been shown to our members from our city leaders, business and community leaders, and residents. I am proud to work with the talented members of this department who continue to provide dedication, professionalism, and selfless service to our community.

We are looking forward to having a safe and productive 2023.

— Diane Venenga