With a $20,000 pledge at Monday night’s council meeting, city councilor unanimously gave a huge boost to a Marshall County Crime Stoppers request to install security cameras at locations in town.

The pledge was in response to two recently CrimeStoppers presentations emphasizing the need of installing cameras to deter crime, and identify perpetrators.

MCCS director and Times-Republican Publisher/GM Mike Schlesinger said the cameras would be for security only — and not traffic enforcement.

He additionally promised only law enforcement would have access to data.

Schlesinger said the local plan is modeled after Dubuque’s successful initiative.

Dubuque started with a basic system, and due to its popularity, has expanded significantly.

Schlesinger proposed a local public-private partnership to pay for the local system. The city would pay one-third, Marshall County one-third, and CrimeStoppers one-third.

The cost is approximately $58,000.

The city council pledge is contingent upon CrimeStoppers receiving funding from the Marshall County Board of Supervisors and formally committing MCCS funds.

During its short tenure, MCCS has proved to be a powerful crime-fighter, with anonymous tips resulting in several arrests of high-profile crimes.

Courtesy Marshalltown Times-Republican

Kiwanis P.M. held its regular meeting at O’Hungry’s on March 22. President Kenny Lamb called the meeting to order at 7 p.m. with the Pledge of Allegiance and a moment of silence. He introduced guests Al Hoop, Chief Mike Tupper and Todd Steinkamp. We welcomed home our long absent member Denny Graubenbauer.

The Crime Stoppers program has been in the community for nearly two years. Chief Tupper has been amazed and gratified by the support that residents have shown. Crime Stoppers is a nationwide program started in 1975 in New Mexico where the media and citizens got behind the local police department to solve a homicide. There are currently 350 programs in the U.S. In the years since, Crime Stoppers, have made 600,000 arrests, recovered $4 billion in stolen property and drugs, and given $100 million in rewards nationwide.

Tupper and Steinkamp, chairman of the Crime Stoppers Board, made it clear that when a tip is given, because of the advanced software used, no name is connected with crime tips. Since September 2015 there have been 235 tips leading to several arrests. Rewards are made available anonymously with specific instructions to the tipper, who is identified by an ID number, as to where to pick up their reward.

Tupper and Steinkamp informed us of a second option to help with deterring crime that the Crime Stopper Board is readying for presentation to the community. This would be a camera system, not for catching speeders but to aid in solving crimes. These high definition cameras make reading license plates, vehicle make and model, and individuals more identifiable. Recently in Dubuque a homicide was solved with just such a system. The Police Department will only be as good as the citizens it serves, we are all the eyes and ears of a safe community.

The next meeting on March 29 at O’Hungry’s will feature Marshalltown Little League and the club will be presenting a check to help with ongoing expenses.

Courtesy of the Marshalltown Times-Republican.

On Monday, agents with the Mid-Iowa Drug Task Force served a narcotics search warrant at 104 N. 14th Ave., Marshalltown. A postal package destined for Marshalltown from California was intercepted by law enforcement. This package was found to contain approximately a half pound of ice methamphetamine with a street value of $27,000. As a result of this investigation, one suspect — Oscar Magana, 21 — was arrested and transported to the Marshall County Jail on various criminal drug charges:

• Possession of Schedule II Controlled Substance w/intent (methamphetamine), B Felony.

• Possession of Schedule I Controlled Substance (Marijuana), Serious Misdemeanor

• Tax Stamp Violation, D Felony

• Interference with Official Acts, Simple Misdemeanor

Officers seized methamphetamine, marijuana, and U.S. Currency as a result of the search warrant.

Additional arrests are pending as the investigation continues. The Mid Iowa Drug Task Force was assisted with the execution of the search warrant by the Marshalltown Police Department, and the United States Postal Service. The Mid-Iowa Drug Task Force is funded by a grant, through the United States Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance, and the Governor’s Office of Drug Control Policy.

Courtesy of the Marshalltown Times-Republican.