Pella Police Department

Pella's police department in Iowa keeps its own 24-hour communications center, which dispatches police, fire and EMS calls, takes phone requests and walk-ins and supports other Marion County agencies. The force has 18 full-time sworn officers and two reserve peace officers, along with five full-time communications specialists, one part-time specialist and civilian staff. Those communications specialists wear several hats: they are trained in emergency medical dispatch and certified on the NCIC criminal justice database, serve as jailers for the department's temporary holding facility, and offer notary services to the public at the station 24 hours a day, though a notary may be delayed when emergency calls come in. Residents can ask officers to make extra patrol checks of a home left empty during a vacation or when there is suspicious activity nearby. A citywide Community Camera Program lets residents register private security cameras for free; officers cannot view the cameras remotely, contact registrants only when a crime or incident under investigation happened nearby, and see footage only if the owner chooses to share it. Registrants can leave the program at any time, and their information is kept confidential.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau (ACS 2023), Pella city, IA has an estimated population of 10,624.