The Grimes Brief
A question that surprises newcomers: Grimes does not run its own police force. Here is who answers the call, which numbers to save, and how to request a report.
Grimes does not have its own police department. The Polk County Sheriff's Office is the law enforcement agency for the city. For emergencies call 911. The sheriff's non-emergency line is (515) 286-3333, and patrol (field headquarters) is (515) 286-3306. Police reports and records come through the Sheriff's Office.
The Sheriff's Office lists itself as the responsible agency for unincorporated Polk County, the cities of Alleman, Bondurant, Elkhart, and Grimes, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at Saylorville Lake, and the Polk County Courthouse. Deputies handle calls in town, and the City of Grimes links its "Police" page straight to the Sheriff's site. Grimes straddles the Polk and Dallas county line (see our county and ZIP page). The Sheriff's page names the city of Grimes without carving out a Dallas County side, but if you live west of the line and want to be certain, ask when you call the non-emergency number.
The non-emergency number is the Sheriff's communications center. The Sheriff's main office is at 5995 NE 14th Street, Des Moines, open Monday to Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Its online services include a "Report a Crime" form. To report a scam you have run into, the Sheriff asks you to call 515-286-3333 and press 5.
Request police records through the Polk County Sheriff's Office, not the city. Start at the "Request a Record" page on the Sheriff's website (polkcountyiowa.gov/county-sheriff), or call the non-emergency line and ask for records. The Sheriff's page notes that some information cannot be released, including peace officers' investigative reports and personal identifiers such as Social Security numbers, birth dates, and driver's license information.
Records the City of Grimes itself keeps, such as council minutes, contracts, or permits, are different. The city follows Iowa Code Chapter 22 and takes requests through a Public Records Request Form on grimesiowa.gov (Departments, Administration, Public Records Requests). Questions go to the City Clerk at City Hall, 101 NE Harvey Street, 515-986-3036.
For how Grimes stacks up on safety and livability rankings, see our is Grimes a good place to live page.
The Grimes Brief is free every Monday morning, made only for Grimes.
No. The Polk County Sheriff's Office is the law enforcement agency for the city of Grimes, and the City of Grimes website links its Police page to the Sheriff's site.
The Polk County Sheriff's non-emergency number is (515) 286-3333. For patrol services (field headquarters) call (515) 286-3306. Call 911 for emergencies.
The Polk County Sheriff's Office communications (non-emergency) number is (515) 286-3333. The administration office is (515) 286-3814 and the jail division is (515) 323-5400.
Request it from the Polk County Sheriff's Office, using the Request a Record page on its website or by calling the non-emergency line at (515) 286-3333. Some information, such as investigative reports and personal identifiers, cannot be released.
The Sheriff's main office is at 5995 NE 14th Street, Des Moines, IA 50313, open Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
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