Iowa Legislation Would Ban Citizen Police Review Boards

Iowa local governments would not be able to have citizen police review boards under legislation passed by the Iowa Senate 37-9 Monday.

Senate File 311 prohibits cities with a civil service commission — any city with a population over 8,000 — from adopting or establishing citizens’ boards that review the conduct of law enforcement officers. Currently, at least six cities in Iowa have citizens’ police review boards: Ames, Cedar Rapids, Coralville, Dubuque, Iowa City and University Heights. The legislation was amended to have an enactment day of Aug. 16, 2025, if signed into law, which lawmakers said would give localities more time to comply with the measure, Iowa Capital Dispatch reports.

Sen. Scott Webster, R-Bettendorf, said cities already have bodies in charge of reviewing police actions through civil service commissions. These panels are in charge of hiring, disciplining, and firing city employees including police officers. Webster said when there are issues where a police officer’s actions are under question, there is duplication happening with citizens’ boards, as the larger civil service commission will also be reviewing the case. He also said in many situations, police officers cannot legally present their argument to this board.

“These review boards have the ability to talk about officers, worry about what happened on a particular case,” Webster said. “That officer, because of his legal requirements, can’t come in there and defend himself in any way, shape or form. That’s not what the state’s about. That’s not what this country is about. … When they’re going to have to go up against another trial, to an extent, inside of civil service, there is no reason for them to spill all of their defense in front of a civilian review board.”

The measure is now moving to the House for further consideration. The Senate bill’s companion, House File 641, is available for floor debate.