Iowa Code

Iowa Code § 331.652 (2026)

General powers of the sheriff

✓ current as of July 2026

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1. The sheriff may call upon any person for assistance to:

a. Keep the peace or prevent the commitment of crime.

b. Arrest a person who is liable to arrest.

c. Execute a process of law.

2. The sheriff, when necessary, may summon the power of the county to carry out the responsibilities of office.\n\nTue Dec 09 22:15:28 2025 Iowa Code 2026, Chapter 331 (101, 6) 125 COUNTY HOME RULE IMPLEMENTATION, §331.653\n\n 3. The sheriff may use the services of the department of public safety in the apprehension of criminals and detection of crime.

4. The sheriff, with the cooperation of the commissioner of public safety, may hold an annual conference and school of instruction for all peace officers within the county, including regularly organized reserve peace officers under the sheriff’s jurisdiction, at which time instruction may be given in all matters relating to the duties of peace officers.

5. The sheriff may administer oaths and take affirmations on matters relating to the business of the office of sheriff as provided in section 63A.2.

6. The sheriff may serve a subpoena or order issued under authority of the department of revenue as provided in section 421.22.

7. Subject to the requirements of chapter 341A and section 331.903, the sheriff may appoint and remove deputies, assistants, and clerks.

8. The sheriff may appoint one or more civil process servers, subject to the provisions of section 331.903.

a. A person appointed by the sheriff as a civil process server may, under the direction of the sheriff, execute and return all writs and other legal process issued to the sheriff by legal authority.

b. The court shall take judicial notice of a civil process server’s signature.

c. All costs for service of writs and other legal process by a civil process server shall be collected in accordance with the provisions of section 331.655.

d. A civil process server shall not be considered to be a sheriff or a deputy sheriff for purposes of this chapter or chapter 97B or 341A.

9. The sheriff may dispose of personal property under section 80.39. 1 – 4. [C51, §173; R60, §386; C73, §340; C97, §502; S13, §499-a; C24, 27, §5182; C31, 35, §5182, 5182-d1; C39, §5182, 5182.1; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §337.1, 337.2; S81, §331.652(1 – 4); 81 Acts, ch 117, §651] 5, 6. [S81, §331.652(5, 6); 81 Acts, ch 117, §651]

7. [C51, §411, 415; R60, §642, 646; C73, §766, 769; C97, §510; SS15, §510-b; C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, §5238, 5240; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §341.1, 341.3; S81, §331.652(7); 81 Acts, ch 117, §651] 2000 Acts, ch 1203, §19; 2002 Acts, ch 1022, §1; 2003 Acts, ch 108, §68; 2003 Acts, ch 145, §286; 2012 Acts, ch 1023, §157 Referred to in §331.654 \n

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 5 cases, 1989–2017 · leading case: Lockhart v. Cedar Rapids Cmty. Sch. Dist., 963 F. Supp. 805 (N.D. Iowa 1997).

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Lockhart v. Cedar Rapids Cmty. Sch. Dist., 963 F. Supp. 805 (N.D. Iowa 1997). · cites it 12× “652 (7), which empowered county sheriffs “to appoint and remove deputies, assistants, and clerks” subject to certain provisions regarding deputy sheriffs, to allow the sheriff to “terminate the plaintiffs employment for any reason.” Id. at 361 . The plaintiff did not “appear to…”

Norton v. Adair Cnty., 441 N.W.2d 347 (Iowa 1989). · cites it 10× “In its ruling, the court determined that the at-will rule is codified in Iowa Code section 331.652(7). This section empowers a county sheriff, subject to section 331.”

Fink v. Kitzman, 881 F. Supp. 1347 (N.D. Iowa 1995). · cites it 2× “The court found that the employment at-will doctrine had been codified for such employees in Iowa Code § 331.652 (7), and that a collective bargaining agreement could not override this statutory codification of the doctrine.”

Shepard v. Wapello Cnty., 303 F. Supp. 2d 1004 (S.D. Iowa 2003). · cites it 2× “” Iowa Code § 331.652 (7). This power is subject to the requirements of Iowa Code § 331.”

Eugene C. Rhinehart v. Marshall Cnty., Iowa, & Marshall Cnty. Bd. of Supervisors (Iowa Ct. App. 2017). · cites it 4× “” Iowa Code § 331.652 (7). Section 331.903(1), in turn, provides: The auditor, treasurer, recorder, sheriff, and county attorney may each appoint, with approval of the board, one or more deputies, assistants, or clerks for whose acts the principal officer is responsible.”

— Iowa Code § 331.652(7) — 2 cases

Lockhart v. Cedar Rapids Cmty. Sch. Dist., 963 F. Supp. 805 (N.D. Iowa 1997). “652 (7), which empowered county sheriffs “to appoint and remove deputies, assistants, and clerks” subject to certain provisions regarding deputy sheriffs, to allow the sheriff to “terminate the plaintiffs employment for any reason.” Id. at 361 . The plaintiff did not “appear to…”

Norton v. Adair Cnty., 441 N.W.2d 347 (Iowa 1989). “In its ruling, the court determined that the at-will rule is codified in Iowa Code section 331.652(7). This section empowers a county sheriff, subject to section 331.”

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