Meet Commissioner Stephan Bayens
"There is never a time I don't feel honored to be a part of DPS. We care for one another, and the people in the Department are a blessing to this state, Iowa communities, my family, and to me."
- Commissioner Bayens
The Commissioner is the chief executive officer of the Iowa Department of Public Safety, appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Iowa Senate.
Stephan K. Bayens was appointed Commissioner on January 14, 2019. Prior to joining the Department, he served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Iowa, where he was assigned to combat violent crime as the coordinator for the Department of Justice's Project Safe Neighborhood Initiative.
The Commissioner's Office houses the Executive Officer to the Commissioner, Executive Secretary, Legal Counsel, and Legislative Liaison. The staff in the Commissioner's Office serve as liaisons between Iowans, members of the media, legislators, and Department personnel. Every day, the Commissioner's Office fields inquiries from both citizens and media, collaborates with local law enforcement and fire agencies, and assists other state departments and branches of government.
The Commissioner's Office oversees six bureaus:
- Governor's Traffic Safety Bureau
- Governor's School Safety Bureau
- Professional Standards Bureau
- Office of Drug Control Policy
- Interoperable Communications Bureau
- Strategic Communications Bureau - To submit an Iowa Open Records Request or Freedom of Information Act Request, please email recordsrequest@dps.state.ia.us.