7 Critical Updates: What The Council Bluffs Police Dept Is Doing Right Now To Fight Crime And Build Community
The Council Bluffs Police Department (CBPD) is currently undergoing a significant operational shift, focusing heavily on community-oriented policing and leveraging federal funding to tackle complex issues like homelessness, drug trafficking, and violent crime. As of December 20, 2025, the department is actively implementing new strategies under the leadership of Chief Matt Davis, emphasizing collaboration with social services and other law enforcement agencies to enhance public safety across Council Bluffs, Iowa.
This in-depth look provides the most recent and critical updates on the CBPD’s initiatives, from multi-million dollar federal grants to specialized outreach teams, offering a comprehensive view of how the department is working to address the city’s unique challenges and improve its crime statistics, which currently sit higher than the national average.
CBPD Leadership and Departmental Profile: A New Era of Policing
The Council Bluffs Police Department is a vital agency responsible for law enforcement and public safety in the city of Council Bluffs, Iowa. Its command structure and operational units are designed to cover a wide array of responsibilities, from uniformed patrol to specialized investigations.
Chief of Police Biography: Matt Davis
- Name: Matt Davis
- Current Title: Chief of Police, Council Bluffs Police Department (CBPD)
- Appointment: Assumed the role following a career spanning over two decades in state law enforcement.
- Previous Experience: Prior to joining the CBPD, Chief Davis served for more than 25 years with the Illinois State Police.
- Leadership Philosophy: His tenure has been marked by an emphasis on community engagement, data-driven policing, and collaborative efforts with mental health professionals and social services.
- Key Focus Areas: Utilizing federal grants for community programs, addressing homelessness, and combating organized crime and drug trafficking in the region.
Key CBPD Divisions and Units
- Uniform Division: The backbone of the department, responsible for 24/7 patrol, initial response to emergencies, and traffic enforcement (Traffic Unit).
- Criminal Investigation Division (CID): Handles major crime investigations, including homicide, robbery, and property crimes.
- Special Operations: Includes specialized teams like the SWAT Team and the K-9 Unit.
- Homeless Outreach Program (HOP Forward): A specialized team pairing officers with clinicians to address residents in crisis.
- Narcotics Enforcement: Works closely with the Southwest Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force.
1. The $248K COPS Grant and Community-Oriented Policing
One of the most significant recent developments is the Council Bluffs Police Department being awarded a substantial federal grant. The CBPD secured a $248,670 Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) grant from the U.S. Department of Justice.
This funding is earmarked specifically to enhance the department's capacity for community-oriented policing. The COPS grant is a critical resource that will allow the CBPD to further develop and implement strategies that build trust and cooperation between law enforcement and the community, moving beyond traditional reactive policing.
The grant’s focus aligns with the department’s current philosophy under Chief Davis, which prioritizes proactive engagement and problem-solving over simply responding to calls. This federal investment underscores the national recognition of the CBPD's efforts to innovate its approach to public safety.
2. Specialized Outreach: The HOP Forward Initiative
The Homeless Outreach Program, known as HOP Forward, is a flagship initiative demonstrating the CBPD's commitment to addressing complex social issues through collaboration.
The HOP Forward teams consist of Council Bluffs police officers and clinical professionals. This pairing allows the department to respond to calls involving vulnerable individuals, particularly those experiencing homelessness or mental health crises, with a holistic approach.
Instead of relying solely on arrests, the teams focus on building rapport, connecting residents in crisis with essential resources, and preparing for seasonal challenges like winter weather. This effort is crucial for both humanitarian reasons and for reducing the strain on emergency services, as it addresses the root causes of certain types of crime and disorder.
3. Project Lifesaver: Protecting Vulnerable Residents
In a joint effort with the Council Bluffs Fire Department, the CBPD is implementing Project Lifesaver.
This initiative is designed to protect community members who are at risk of wandering. This includes individuals with cognitive conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease, Autism, or Down syndrome.
Project Lifesaver utilizes specialized tracking technology to quickly locate and rescue at-risk individuals who have wandered away from their caregivers. This program offers peace of mind to families and provides a rapid, coordinated response that significantly increases the chances of a safe recovery for a missing person.
4. Combating Drug Trafficking and Organized Crime
The CBPD remains highly focused on major criminal investigations, particularly those involving drug trafficking and organized crime. Recent federal cases highlight the department's success in this area.
In December 2024, a Council Bluffs man was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison for drug trafficking, a case that was part of the broader Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative.
The investigation, which involved the seizure of controlled substances from a Council Bluffs residence in March 2024, was a collaborative effort between the CBPD and the Southwest Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force. These high-level arrests demonstrate the department’s commitment to disrupting the flow of illegal narcotics into the community and working with federal partners like the U.S. Department of Justice.
5. Recent High-Profile Case Updates (2024-2025)
The department has been involved in several significant cases that have drawn media attention and required multi-agency coordination:
- First Degree Murder Arrest: In October 2024, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) and the CBPD made an arrest in a First Degree Murder case involving a man who had been reported missing to the Omaha Police Department in late 2023.
- Officer-Involved Shooting Investigation: The DCI investigated an officer-involved shooting that occurred in August 2025 (a recent event, based on the press release date), involving an Iowa State Patrol Trooper and a vehicle stop near the 77-mile marker. The CBPD often assists and is involved in such regional events.
- Cemetery Thefts: The department issued a press release on August 15, 2025 (a recent date), confirming that two arrests were made in connection with a string of thefts from local cemeteries, demonstrating a focus on property crime and respecting community spaces.
6. Addressing Crime Statistics and Community Perception
According to recent reports, the Council Bluffs crime rate remains a significant concern, with statistics indicating that the city's crime rate is higher than the national average by approximately 47.3%.
This has led to Council Bluffs being listed as one of the cities in Iowa with a higher crime rate in 2024. Specifically, the risk of being a victim of violent crime is estimated at 1 in 224.
The CBPD's focus on community-oriented policing, the COPS grant, and the HOP Forward program are direct responses to these statistics. By targeting the underlying causes of crime through outreach and prevention, coupled with aggressive enforcement against violent and drug-related offenses, the department aims to drive down both violent and property crime rates.
7. New Technological Tools for Public Safety
In an effort to modernize its operations and better collaborate with the public, the Council Bluffs Police Department has introduced new technological initiatives.
A key program is the new camera database, which encourages residents and businesses to voluntarily register their private security cameras with the department.
This database is a force multiplier for investigations, allowing detectives to quickly identify potential sources of video evidence in the vicinity of a crime, without directly accessing the camera feed. This tool is invaluable in solving property crimes, locating missing persons (like the recent missing person case from December 2024), and providing critical evidence in major cases.
The Future of Policing in Council Bluffs
The Council Bluffs Police Department is clearly charting a course toward a more comprehensive and community-focused model of policing. The combination of strong leadership from Chief Matt Davis, significant federal funding through the COPS grant, and innovative programs like HOP Forward and Project Lifesaver creates a robust framework for addressing the city's public safety challenges. By emphasizing collaboration with the community and leveraging advanced technology, the CBPD is working to build a safer Council Bluffs for all its residents, tackling everything from homelessness and mental health crises to major drug trafficking operations.
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