CHAPTER 80D
RESERVE PEACE OFFICERS

Referred to in §13.12, 331.382, 384.15, 422.12, 904.301B

  
     
80D.1  Establishment of a force of reserve peace officers.
  1.  The governing body of a city, a county, or the state of Iowa may provide, either separately or collectively through a chapter 28E agreement, for the establishment of a force of reserve peace officers, and may limit the size of the reserve force. In the case of the state, unless the reserve peace officer is employed by the department of corrections, the department of public safety shall act as the governing body. If the reserve peace officer is employed by the department of corrections, the department of corrections shall act as the governing body.
  2.  The governing body of a tribal government may provide for the establishment of a force of reserve peace officers and may limit the size of the reserve force.
  3.  This chapter constitutes the only procedure for appointing reserve peace officers.
[C81, §80D.1]
90 Acts, ch 1092, §1; 2001 Acts, ch 104, §1; 2013 Acts, ch 48, §1; 2023 Acts, ch 19, §2770; 2024 Acts, ch 1182, §46
Referred to in §85.61

     
80D.1A  Definitions.
  As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires:
  1.  “Academy” means the Iowa law enforcement academy.
  2.  “Council” means the Iowa law enforcement academy council.
  3.  “Minimum training course” means a curriculum of basic training requirements developed by the academy pursuant to the academy’s rulemaking authority that a reserve peace officer must complete within a prescribed time period to become state certified as a reserve peace officer. The minimum training course does not include required weapons training.
  4.  “Reserve force” means an organization of reserve peace officers established as provided in this chapter.
  5.  “Reserve peace officer” means a volunteer, nonregular, sworn member of a law enforcement agency who serves with or without compensation, has regular police powers while functioning as a law enforcement agency’s representative, and participates on a regular basis in the law enforcement agency’s activities including crime prevention and control, preservation of the peace, and enforcement of law.
90 Acts, ch 1092, §2; 2007 Acts, ch 47, §1
Referred to in §80B.3, 100B.14, 100B.31, 100B.51, 279.84, 321.231B, 362.10, 422.12, 724.2A

     
80D.2  Personal standards.
  The director of the academy with the approval of the council may establish minimum standards of physical, educational, mental, and moral fitness for members of the reserve force.
[C81, §80D.2]
2022 Acts, ch 1032, §17

     
80D.3  Training standards.
  1.  Each person appointed to serve as a reserve peace officer shall satisfactorily complete a minimum training course as established by academy rules. In addition, if a reserve peace officer is authorized to carry weapons, the officer shall satisfactorily complete the same training course in the use of weapons as is required for basic training of regular peace officers by the academy. The minimum training course for reserve peace officers shall be satisfactorily completed within the time period prescribed by academy rules. Academy-approved reserve peace officer training received before July 1, 2007, may be applied to meet the minimum training course requirements established by academy rules.
  2.  A reserve peace officer who does not carry a weapon shall not be required to complete a weapons training course, but the officer shall comply with all other training requirements.
  3.  a.  A person appointed to serve as a reserve peace officer who has received basic training as a peace officer and has been certified by the academy pursuant to chapter 80B and rules adopted pursuant to chapter 80B may be exempted from completing the minimum training course at the discretion of the appointing authority. However, such a person appointed to serve as a reserve peace officer shall meet mandatory in-service training requirements established by academy rules if the person has not served as an active peace officer within one hundred eighty days of appointment as a reserve peace officer.
  b.  A person appointed to serve as a reserve peace officer who has met the one-hundred-fifty-hour training requirement by obtaining training at a community college or other facility selected by the individual and approved by the law enforcement agency prior to July 1, 2007, shall be exempted from completing the minimum training course at the discretion of the appointing authority and shall continue to hold certification with the appointing authority.
  4.  The minimum training course required for a reserve peace officer shall be conducted pursuant to sections 80D.4 and 80D.7. If weapons are to be carried, a reserve peace officer shall complete a weapons training course having the same number of hours of training as is required of regular peace officers in basic training pursuant to section 80D.7.
  5.  A person is eligible for state certification as a reserve peace officer upon satisfactory completion of the training and testing requirements specified by academy rules.
[C81, §80D.3]
90 Acts, ch 1092, §3; 2007 Acts, ch 47, §2; 2008 Acts, ch 1032, §201; 2009 Acts, ch 78, §1; 2009 Acts, ch 179, §33

     
80D.4  Training.
  Training for individuals appointed as reserve peace officers shall be provided by instructors in a community college or other facility, including a law enforcement agency, selected by the individual and approved by the law enforcement agency and the academy. Upon satisfactory completion of training required by the academy, the academy shall certify the individual as a reserve peace officer.
[C81, §80D.4]
90 Acts, ch 1092, §4; 90 Acts, ch 1253, §121; 2001 Acts, ch 104, §2; 2007 Acts, ch 47, §3
Referred to in §80D.3

     
80D.4A  Training and certification requirements — revocation or suspension of certification.
  The director of the academy, subject to the approval of the council, shall promulgate rules in accordance with the provisions of this chapter and chapter 17A, giving due consideration to varying factors and special requirements of law enforcement agencies relative to the standardized training and state certification of reserve peace officers. The rules shall provide for grounds for revocation or suspension of a reserve peace officer’s certification.
2007 Acts, ch 47, §4; 2020 Acts, ch 1037, §7
Referred to in §80B.13A, 321.267A

     
80D.5  No exemptions.
  There shall be no exemptions from the personal and training standards provided for in this chapter except as provided in section 80D.7.
[C81, §80D.5]
2011 Acts, ch 34, §169

  
     
80D.6  Status of reserve peace officers.
  1.  Reserve peace officers shall serve as peace officers on the orders and at the discretion of the chief of police, sheriff, commissioner of public safety or the commissioner’s designee, or director of the Iowa department of corrections or the director’s designee, as the case may be.
  2.  While in the actual performance of official duties, reserve peace officers shall be vested with the same rights, privileges, obligations, and duties as any other peace officers.
[C81, §80D.6]
2001 Acts, ch 104, §3; 2021 Acts, ch 76, §150; 2023 Acts, ch 19, §2771

     
80D.6A  Status of reserve peace officers of a tribal government.
  Reserve peace officers of a tribal government shall serve as peace officers on the orders and at the discretion of the chief of the police force of the tribal government. While in the actual performance of official duties, reserve peace officers of a tribal government shall be vested with the same rights, privileges, obligations, and duties as any other peace officers of the tribal government.
2013 Acts, ch 48, §2

  
     
80D.7  Carrying weapons.
  A member of a reserve force shall not carry a weapon in the line of duty until the member has been approved by the governing body and certified by the council to carry weapons. After approval and certification, a reserve peace officer may carry a weapon in the line of duty only when authorized by the chief of police, sheriff, commissioner of public safety or the commissioner’s designee, or director of the Iowa department of corrections or the director’s designee, as the case may be.
[C81, §80D.7]
90 Acts, ch 1092, §5; 2001 Acts, ch 104, §4; 2023 Acts, ch 19, §2772; 2023 Acts, ch 64, §15
Referred to in §80D.3, 80D.5

     
80D.8  Supplementary capacity.
  Reserve peace officers shall act only in a supplementary capacity to the regular force and shall not assume full-time duties of regular peace officers without first complying with all requirements for regular peace officers.
[C81, §80D.8]

  
     
80D.9  Supervision of reserve peace officers.
  1.  Reserve peace officers shall be subordinate to regular peace officers, shall not serve as peace officers unless under the direction of regular peace officers, and shall wear a uniform prescribed by the chief of police, sheriff, commissioner of public safety, or director of the Iowa department of corrections unless that superior officer designates alternate apparel for use when engaged in assignments involving special investigation, civil process, court duties, jail duties, and the handling of mental patients. The reserve peace officer shall not wear an insignia of rank.
  2.  Each department for which a reserve force is established shall appoint a certified peace officer as the reserve force coordinating and supervising officer. A reserve peace officer force established by the Iowa department of corrections must be directly supervised by a certified peace officer who is on duty. That certified peace officer shall report directly to the chief of police, sheriff, commissioner of public safety or the commissioner’s designee, or director of the Iowa department of corrections or the director’s designee, as the case may be.
[C81, §80D.9]
2001 Acts, ch 104, §5; 2021 Acts, ch 76, §15; 2023 Acts, ch 19, §2773

     
80D.10  No reduction of regular force.
  The governing body shall not reduce the authorized size of a regular law enforcement department or office because of the establishment or utilization of reserve peace officers.
[C81, §80D.10]

     
80D.11  Employee — pay.
  While performing official duties, each reserve peace officer shall be considered an employee of the governing body which the officer represents and shall be paid a minimum of one dollar per year. The governing body of a city, a county, or the state may provide additional monetary assistance for the purchase and maintenance of uniforms and equipment used by reserve peace officers.
[C81, §80D.11]
83 Acts, ch 101, §3; 2001 Acts, ch 104, §6; 2023 Acts, ch 19, §2774; 2024 Acts, ch 1182, §47

     
80D.12  Benefits when injured.
  1.  Hospital and medical assistance and benefits as provided in chapter 85 shall be provided by the governing body to members of the reserve force who sustain injury in the course of performing official duties.
  2.  For reserve peace officers of a tribal government, hospital and medical assistance and benefits shall be provided by the tribal government to members of the reserve force who sustain injury while performing official duties in the same manner as for a regular peace officer of the tribal government.
[C81, §80D.12]
2013 Acts, ch 48, §3; 2014 Acts, ch 1092, §22

     
80D.13  Insurance.
  Liability and false arrest insurance shall be provided by the governing body to members of the reserve force while performing official duties in the same manner as for a regular peace officer.
[C81, §80D.13]

     
80D.14  No participation in a pension fund or retirement system.
  This chapter shall not be construed to authorize or permit a reserve peace officer to become eligible for participation in a pension fund or retirement system created by the laws of this state of which regular peace officers may become members.
[C81, §80D.14]

     
80D.15  Civil defense auxiliary police exempt.  Repealed by 2011 Acts, ch 34, §162.