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On August
5th, 1845 the City of Princeton was established in Monroe (Originally Kish Ke Kosk) County, which was later renamed to the
City of Albia. Shortly thereafter, the Albia Police Department
was established, with the department originally consisting of one horse-riding sworn officer. One can only imagine how swift
the response was when you consider that it took about a day for someone to ride to town to file a report, and another day
for the Officer to ride out and follow up. As society and technology
progressed, the Albia Police Department evolved. Adding vehicle patrol quickened the process of responding to calls and serving
the community. Calls would go through the local telephone office, where the nature of the call was given to the
switchboard operator. In order for the operator to get in touch with an Officer, a switch was flipped that activated a light
in the top of the courthouse. Then, the operator would wait for the Officer to see the light and make contact with the operator.
The original Police Department was located on North Main Street,
just off Albia's famous square. In 1977 under the direction of Chief John Douglas, the Police Department was moved to a Joint
Law Enforcement Center and Jail with the Monroe County Sheriff's Department, which is still in active use today. The Monroe
County Law Enforcement Center was built in 1941, originally housing the jail facilities and offices on the ground floor,
with a residence for the Sheriff and his family on the second floor. Today the Sheriff no longer lives in the building, and
the structure accomodates the Monroe County Sheriff's Department, the Albia Police Department, a Communications Center, the
Monroe County Jail and a support staff of approximately 25 employees. Other
agencies such as the Iowa Highway Patrol, Iowa Department of Transportation, United States Marshall Services, Southern Iowa
Drug Task Force, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Iowa Court Services, Juvenile Court Services, and others use the facility
on a routine basis. The Albia Police Department consists of six
full-time sworn Police Officers, an Administrative Secretary and an Animal Control Officer. We operate 24 hours a day, 7 days
a week, 365 days a year. We routinely handle over 4000 calls for service per year in our effort to better the community for
the citizens we serve. The Police Department is structured with a Police Chief, Assistant Police Chief, and four
Patrol Officers. Besides their regular law enforcement duties, Albia Police Officers are busy with community services,
parade duties, drug interdiction, and neighborhood watch programs. Specialty units include a Bicycle Patrol Unit.
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