~a column by Mary Weaver
I occasionally research and create a document for the Women’s Caucus newsletter about Iowa women who defied history, breaking glass ceilings and making Iowa a better place to live.
A recent search led me to Eunice Viola, “Ola” Babcock. She was born in Washington County, Iowa, 152 years ago. She attended Iowa Wesleyan College, taught in rural schools and at age 24 married Alex Miller. He was the editor of the Washington Democrat and ran for Governor. He was defeated in that race and later died of a heart attack in 1927. Alex and Ola had one child, Ophelia, who married Jefferson’s own George Gallup.
Ola was active in the women’s suffrage movement and while working for the Des Moines Register in 1932 she was able to secure an interview with then Democratic presidential candidate Franklin Roosevelt. Later that year her name was placed on the ballot for Secretary of State. She acknowledged this was done in appreciation for her political efforts, but Roosevelt was elected and swept many Democrats into office; thus, Iowa had its first female Secretary of State. (It is said that George Gallup got his ideas for political polling by measuring interest in his mother-in law’s candidacy to understand her chances of winning).
Just before she took office in 1934, the young son of one of her best friends was killed in an auto accident. She vowed to do something about highway safety. The Motor Vehicle Department was part of the Secretary of State’s office, and without funds or any authorization she turned the duties of 15 tax collectors who were to enforce the licensing of automobiles in Iowa, to the duties of enforcing road safety. Each man was assigned to six or seven counties and were to look for unsafe vehicles and drivers. She got results. Deaths on Iowa’s roads decreased by 15 percent in the first year. Through Miller’s influence, legislation was passed in 1935 establishing the Iowa State Highway Safety Patrol composed of 53 men.
It is with chagrin when researching Iowa State Patrol, historically it begins with a male trooper murdered in 1936 and gives no mention of the woman who began the patrol.
In 1972, the word “patrolman” was replaced with “trooper”, and in 1975, the Iowa Highway Patrol and became known as the Iowa State Patrol.
In addition to enforcing state and federal laws regarding transportation, Iowa State troopers also investigate crimes, help quell riots, and provide security at special events. The Iowa Department of Public Safety hires well-qualified individuals to fill Iowa State trooper jobs.
The term “well-qualified” means a very clean personal record, rigorous physical exams and requirement of physical qualifications, and mental testing for stability and personality traits.
The Iowa State Patrol, according to their media representative, Sergeant Alex Dinkla, reported 438 troopers are responsible for safeguarding almost 110,000 miles of roadways in the state. This number includes the new “CMVU”, Commercial Motor Vehicle Unit, formerly called MVE, Motor Vehicle Enforcement.
Sgt Dinkla reported 87 officers in the Iowa Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Enforcement (MVE) Division became a part of the Iowa State Patrol this past July. Both entities are under the Iowa Department of Public Safety.
Information from the Legislative Service Bureau (LSB) indicates the former MVE staff are now full Iowa State Patrol troopers although this is in contradiction to Sergeant Dinkla reporting “[the]CMVU Unit is now a part of the Iowa State Patrol, and all of these Officers are not Troopers”. When asked, the LSB also reported the Department of Public Safety has approximately 59 vacancies for Iowa State Patrol Troopers.
I was disappointed when I learned that Gov Kim Reynolds sent 30 persons to the Texas border from July 8-July 22, 2023, at a cost of nearly $300,000 for Operation Lone Star. This was a request by Texas Governor Abbott to aid in border control.
The funds used were COVID dollars from the federal government, and it remains questionable if this was an allowable use. When questioned, State Auditor Rob Sand indicated the governor may be using “discretionary” dollars that would be considered allowable. Any additional investigation, according to Sand, will be done by federal representatives.
The original reporting in the Des Moines Register indicated the Iowa law enforcement officers who traveled to the border included 12 Iowa State Patrol road troopers, 12 tactical operators, three command staff and a bilingual investigative agent.
The original press release indicated the troopers who participated in the deployment were all volunteers. They accounted for about 8 percent of the Iowa State Patrol’s roughly 360 sworn officers. This number is different from the 438 referenced by the public relations officer.
The cost included about $50,000 for food, lodging, vehicle rentals and some equipment; about $150,000 in overtime pay; and about $100,000 in salary, which the Iowa State Patrol would also have paid if the troopers were on duty in Iowa.
This past September Governor Reynolds announced a budget surplus, $1.83 billion in the General Fund, $902 million in reserve funds, and $2.74 billion in the Taxpayer Relief Fund.
Reynolds stated, “We’ve seen what the powerful combination of growth-oriented policies and fiscal restraint can create, and now it’s time for Iowans to directly receive the benefits. I look forward to cutting taxes again next legislative session and returning this surplus back to where it belongs – the people of Iowa.”
In my opinion, if the Governor and the Republican held House and Senate are into fiscal restraint and the saving of dollars, and for cutting taxes, I believe we should have let the troopers do their jobs in Iowa rather than $300,000 being spent in Texas.
As for the $1.83 billion surplus, I would rather the State Patrol provide services to Iowans and seek full capacity by hiring the allotted 59 troopers. I believe Ola Babcock would have approved also.
~Mary Weaver writes, VIEW FROM MY WINDOW, from her rural home near Rippey. She is the chair of the Iowa Democratic Women’s Caucus. She has received several speeding tickets from Iowa State Patrol Troopers but continues to firmly believe they should be at full staff.
