District 3 first opened its doors in the small town of Oakland in 1935. The original office supported one lieutenant, one sergeant, and 12-14 patrolmen who served 11 counties. The district office was later relocated to the Cass County Courthouse in Atlantic, in conjunction with police radio. In 1959, the District 3 office was moved to its own building at the junction of Highway 71 and Highway 6, east of Atlantic. By 1967, this office grew to one lieutenant, three sergeants, and 29 patrolmen, who served the current nine-county area.
In 1989, the District 3 office was moved to its present location at the junction of Highway 6 and Interstate 80 in Council Bluffs. This location better accommodated coverage and traffic enforcement for the approximate 200 miles of interstate located in this district. This district office supports a lieutenant, three sergeants, one secretary, and 26 troopers. It also supports personnel from Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program (M.C.S.A.P.), Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI), Department of Narcotics Enforcement (DNE), and the State Fire Marshal’s (SFM) offices. Nine counties are covered by this district: Adair, Adams, Cass, Fremont, Mills, Montgomery, Page, Pottawattamie, and Taylor.
Over the past few years, District 3 has responded to some of Iowa’s most devastating events, including the floods of 2008, and the Little Sioux Boy Scout Ranch tornado, which killed four and injured 48.
District 3 has been the cornerstone of the State Patrol’s fight against drug trafficking; recording seizures totaling well over thousands of pounds of illegal drugs.
Iowa State Patrol District #3
2025 Hunt Ave
Council Bluffs IA 51503
712.328.8001