Expanding Capabilities (1939-1979)
One of the most recognizable features of a police department is the squad car. Today, they are decorated with many designs and are supplied with warning lights, radar, radios, and even computers. In 1938, the city began to purchase cars for the officers to use to handle calls more efficiently. At the end of 1938, the total number of police vehicles in the fleet stood at one. This vehicle was used to eliminate the need for officers to hitchhike to calls or take their own personal vehicles.
As the police fleet expanded and the number of officers increased, the need for a communications system became apparent. The department, under new police chief Earl Immer, purchased radios for the squad cars and two mobile radios for the officers. A base station was established in order to dispatch all calls to the officers on the streets. Not all officers were equipped with radios on their person, but the cars now had radios so they could call the police station or other officers.
In 1968, structural changes took place. The police department relocated, moving from Washington and First Streets to 220 Clay Street, where it is today. This move provided more room for the department, including a new communications center, detention rooms, a crime lab, and an electronic shooting range.
Officer safety is paramount to any department and the city of Cedar Falls is also concerned about the safety of its officers. In 1974, the department received a donation from a citizen of Cedar Falls to purchase forty-three bulletproof vests. Also, during that year, the department continued to try to insure a safe-living environment for local citizens when it inaugurated the Neighborhood Watch Program. This program helps protect citizens’ property by asking neighbors in a community to watch each other’s homes for suspicious activity. This protection is welcomed by the department because it keeps the citizens pro-active and involved in helping the department deal with unlawful activities in the city. The Neighborhood Watch Program is a deterrent to criminals because of the threat of being spotted by a citizen who is watching the area. An extension of the Neighborhood Watch Program was the development of the Citizens Police Academy. This program, the first class of which graduated in 1998, stresses the benefits of crime prevention when there is a partnership between the police and the citizens of Cedar Falls.
As the department expanded its role in the community, one of the most important innovations for public safety agencies across the county came to Cedar Falls in 1980. The "911 Emergency Telephone System" gave citizens an instant access to the police, fire, and medical agencies in the city. In 1985, the department expanded its 911 capabilities with the addition of emergency phone equipment purchased for the use of the hearing and speech impaired citizens in the Cedar Falls area.
The CFPD continued with its technological advances in 1981 when the department linked itself with other area law enforcement agencies. The proximity of Cedar Falls and Waterloo created a need for networking, and authorities could now provide mutual aid and information to each agency in the region. The Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Department, that also operates out of Waterloo and gives assistance to the local police departments, is networked with them as well. The centralized dispatch system was created in 1990. This was a big change for each department in the area, as they had to give up their local dispatch locations. Central dispatch allows each agency to combine radio traffic and to operate as an integrated unit. Besides the reorganization of the dispatchers, the administrations of the police, fire, and medical departments also have changed. In 1987, the Cedar Falls Department of Public Safety was formed and placed under the direction of Paul Hoffney. The departments stayed in their respected areas but were now joined under one director.
