Polk sheriff pushes to revive pretrial jail release program
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Polk County's intensive pretrial release (PTR) program — which kept defendants out of jail and saved taxpayers money — was scrapped last year in a power struggle with Gov. Kim Reynolds' administration. Now Sheriff Kevin Schneider wants it back.
Why it matters: Ending PTR has left more people in jail and cost taxpayers more.
- It's also made it harder for people accused of crimes to keep jobs, stay connected with families and reintegrate into society, Schneider said.
Driving the news: About 200 people who would have likely been on supervised release between November 2023 and May 2025 were instead in jail awaiting trial during that period, Schneider told supervisors in a workshop meeting on Wednesday.
- His office estimates that reinstating the county's contribution would ultimately save the county at least $550,000 annually, after accounting for the additional expenses.
Catch up fast: The state took full control of Iowa's Community-Based Corrections — the entity that oversees pretrial release programs — after a 2023 government reorganization that consolidated 37 cabinet agencies into 16.
- Previously, it was primarily governed by local boards made up of county supervisors and residents.
Zoom in: Supervisors at the time said they should keep some oversight because they allocate about $240,000 of county tax dollars annually to help higher-level offenders.
Context: The Iowa Department of Corrections provides pretrial release assistance for people accused of lower-level crimes.
- Polk County's contributions paid to assist those accused of more serious offenses.
- Black Hawk is the only Iowa county that contributes more money for intensive PTR programming.
State of play: The makeup of the supervisors has shifted considerably since the county's PTR was terminated, now with two new supervisors and a new county administrator.
- "I think we want to reset this issue and do it in a way that is appropriate for the community," said Matt McCoy, chairperson of the supervisors, during Wednesday's meeting.
The other side: Supervisor Tom Hockensmith tells Axios that he will not support county funding for PTR, saying the program is worthy but maintains that local oversight is necessary.
Yes, but: Hockensmith predicts most supervisors will ultimately support PTR's reinstatement.
What next: Supervisors will likely vote on the matter in the coming weeks, County Administrator Frank Marasco tells Axios.