Oelwein Police Department

Oelwein Police Department The Oelwein Police Department was established in 1903 as the recognized law enforcement for the City

The Oelwein Police Department was established in 1903 as the recognized law enforcement for the City of Oelwein. Currently the Oelwein Police Department employs:
10 Full Time Police Officers
4 Full Time Communications Operators
1 Administrative Assistant
7 Reserve (Volunteer) Police Officers

09/03/2026

Thursday Trivia Reveal

Correct Answer: D) Heavy traffic volume

If you answered D, nice work.

The biggest reason holiday travelers get delayed isn't construction.

It isn't breakdowns.

And it isn't even crashes.

It's simply... more people on the road.

Turns out when everyone decides to leave "just after lunch," they all have the exact same idea.

Including Uncle Bob.

Who is currently blaming everyone else for his decision to leave "just after lunch."

Aunt Pat would like the record to show she suggested leaving an hour earlier.

She also enjoys being right.

Now for the serious part.

Labor Day is one of the busiest travel weekends of the year. Expect heavier traffic, allow extra travel time, and be patient with other drivers. A little planning goes a long way toward a safer trip.

Uncle Bob Confidence Rating

★★★★★

Actual Trip Planning

★★☆☆☆

We'll see Uncle Bob next Wednesday.

Aunt Pat is driving home.

09/02/2026

Wednesday Wisdom

Labor Day weekend is almost here.

Uncle Bob has already packed the cooler, loaded the truck, and announced...

"We'll just leave a little later. There won't be any traffic."

This is the same man who thinks "shortcut" and "gravel road" are synonyms.

Aunt Pat has quietly packed snacks... because she's expecting to be rerouted through three counties.

Which brings us to this week's trivia...

According to AAA, what is the leading cause of unexpected delays during holiday road trips?

A) Road construction

B) Traffic crashes

C) Vehicle breakdowns

D) Heavy traffic volume

Only one of these is the biggest culprit.

The others just make Uncle Bob grumble louder.

Answer revealed Thursday. Uncle Bob has never been stuck in traffic... according to Uncle Bob. He "became part of it" years ago.

08/31/2026

Monday Mythbusters

Myth: Police officers enjoy writing paperwork.

Reality: That's adorable.

For every arrest, crash, investigation, citation, warning, or significant incident...
..there's paperwork.

Lots of paperwork.

If officers got to choose between writing reports or not writing reports...

Well...

This post probably wouldn't exist because we'd all still be avoiding paperwork.

Bottom line: The exciting part of police work usually lasts minutes. The paperwork often lasts much longer.

Disclaimers:

Before anyone comments, “Well... it's your job,” you're absolutely right. It is. That doesn't mean we have to enjoy paperwork any more than you enjoy doing your taxes.

Before someone says, “Just stop writing tickets and making arrests,” we'd like to point out that's a little like telling firefighters to stop putting out fires because the hoses are heavy.

08/27/2026

Thursday Trivia Reveal

Correct Answer: B) The owner.

If you answered B, give yourself a treat.

Under Iowa law, dog owners are generally liable when their dog injures someone, subject to certain legal exceptions.

Uncle Bob's defense?

"He doesn't bite... he just expresses himself with his teeth."

Aunt Pat's response?

"Robert... that's called biting."

Now for the serious part.

Owning a dog comes with responsibility. Proper training, supervision, and secure containment help protect your pet, your neighbors, and your community.

Most dogs are wonderful companions.

The goal is to keep them that way.

Uncle Bob Confidence Rating

★★★★★

Actual Legal Knowledge

★☆☆☆☆

We'll see Uncle Bob next Wednesday.

Aunt Pat brought dog treats.

Uncle Bob thought they were cookies.

08/26/2026

Wednesday Wisdom - National Dog Day Edition

Uncle Bob says his dog has never bitten anyone.

"He just has a very enthusiastic personality."

Aunt Pat calls him "Sir Barks-a-Lot"...
..because "Neighborhood Menace" seemed a little harsh.

Which brings us to this week's trivia...

Under Iowa law, who is generally responsible if a dog bites someone?

A) The dog, obviously.

B) The owner.

C) Whoever was closest to the leash.

D) It depends whether the dog "looked sorry."

Only one answer is correct.

The others sound like they came from Uncle Bob's School of Legal Interpretation.

Answer revealed Thursday. Uncle Bob insists the dog was just saying hello.

08/24/2026

Monday Mythbusters.....

Myth: If you turn the music down during a traffic stop, the officer won't notice how loud it was.

Reality: We noticed.

In fact... that's usually how we knew which vehicle was yours.

Turning the volume from "concert" to "library" after the emergency lights come on doesn't erase the previous three blocks.

It's kind of like spraying air freshener after burning dinner.

Everyone knows what happened.

Bottom line: We appreciate the quieter conversation during the stop. Just know that the volume adjustment wasn't quite as stealthy as you hoped.

08/20/2026

Thursday Trivia Reveal

Correct Answer: D) All of the above

If you answered D, you're on the right track.

(Yes... we went there.)

Under Iowa law, school buses, commercial passenger buses, and vehicles transporting certain hazardous materials are all required to stop at railroad crossings, even when there isn't a train in sight.

Uncle Bob's advice?

"You can tell if a train's coming."

Aunt Pat's response?

"So can the train."

Now for the serious part.

These vehicles carry passengers or hazardous cargo, and the law requires an extra layer of safety because the consequences of getting it wrong can be catastrophic.

The train doesn't know you're in a hurry.

And it definitely doesn't know Uncle Bob.

We'll see Uncle Bob next Wednesday.

Aunt Pat has suggested he start taking the long way around the tracks.

08/19/2026

Wednesday Wisdom

Uncle Bob has two settings when it comes to railroad crossings:

"We're going to be here forever."
"I've got plenty of time."

Aunt Pat would like everyone to know she has updated her life insurance beneficiary twice because of these opinions.

Which brings us to this week's trivia...

Under Iowa law, which of these vehicles is required to stop at every railroad crossing, even if no train is coming?

A) School buses

B) Vehicles transporting hazardous materials

C) Commercial passenger buses

D) All of the above

Only one answer is correct.

The others are just waiting for Uncle Bob to explain why the rules "don't really apply."

Answer revealed Thursday. Uncle Bob has never won an argument with a train.

08/17/2026

Monday Mythbusters.....

Myth: If I see flashing lights behind me, I have to stop immediately... even if it's in the middle of a narrow bridge, busy intersection, or unsafe location.

Reality: Not exactly.

If an officer activates their emergency lights behind you, they want you to pull over as soon as it is safe to do so.

Notice we said safe.

If you're approaching a narrow bridge, a blind curve, heavy traffic, or another area where stopping would create a hazard, it's perfectly acceptable to slow down, turn on your hazard lights to acknowledge you've seen the officer, and continue to a safer location.

Just don't confuse "a safer location" with:

Your driveway 12 miles away.
The next town.
Or "I was waiting until I got home."

The officer knows the difference.

Bottom line: Pull over promptly, but safely. A few extra seconds to find a safe location is appreciated. A few extra miles... not so much.

08/13/2026

Thursday Trivia Reveal

Correct Answer: C) 500 feet

Yes. Five hundred feet.

Not 100.

Not “a couple car lengths.”

And definitely not close enough to read the manufacturer's name on the back of the fire truck.

Iowa law says a regular vehicle cannot follow responding fire apparatus within 500 feet.

Uncle Bob calls that:

"Plenty of room."

Aunt Pat calls it:

"Robert, why are we following the fire department?"

There’s another part of the law people may not know: once the fire apparatus stops at the scene, you also cannot drive into or park your vehicle within that block unless you’re there on official business.

So if you see fire trucks responding, give them room.

They are going to an emergency.

You are not part of the convoy.

Uncle Bob is also not part of the convoy.

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