Hunter
04/08/25
The Johnson County Board of Supervisors and the City Council in Iowa City are in the preliminary stages of a proposed joint law enforcement facility that would include a badly-needed new county jail, the sheriff’s office and the Iowa City Police Department.
The Gazette reports the county jail is over capacity, posing safety concerns for both inmates and staff, and requiring that some inmates be housed at facilities outside the county. Between 2021 and 2023, the county paid an average of $387,000 per year to house inmates out of county. Likewise, the Iowa City Police Department faces space and age issues.
The two entities hired OPN Architects and Shive-Hattery to complete studies on the proposed building. Meanwhile, members of the Criminal Justice Coordinating Committee are hoping to have a final design for a facility by the end of the year.
Sheriff Brad Kunkel visited KCJJ Monday and talked about a trip committee members made to recently-constructed law enforcement facilities in Dallas and Woodbury counties.
The Woodbury County differed from the Dallas County facility in that they included courtroom facilities and the County Attorney’s office in their design, while keeping the City law enforcement building separate. The sheriff said that although having the jail and courtrooms under one roof is better from a safety standpoint, it would significantly add to the cost of the Johnson County project.
It’s hoped that a bond issue be put to voters in November 2026 to fund the project.
The full interview with Sheriff Kunkel can be viewed on the KCJJ YouTube page.