Edited release/Hunter
07/02/25
The new Iowa law that increases penalties for assaults against law enforcement officers and first responders is now in effect.
In 2023, assaults on law enforcement officers across the country reached a 10-year high, with over 79,000 victims of assault in the line of duty. This prompted many states, including Iowa, to increase penalties for assaults on peace officers, first responders and corrections officers.
The law protects law-enforcement officers, first responders, and corrections officers by raising penalties for assaults to:
- Up to 10 years in prison when the assault involves a dangerous weapon or is meant to inflict serious injury
- Up to 5 years when the assault causes bodily injury
- A mandatory minimum sentence of 7 days in jail for all other assaults against first responders
The law also raises the penalty for spitting on law-enforcement officers, first responders, or corrections officers to assault with other bodily fluids.