Iowa patrol lieutenant faces inquiry over move
IOWA CITY, Iowa — An Iowa State Patrol supervisor received $40,000 in relocation benefits as part of a reassignment to western Iowa last year, even as he began claiming a newly built house 120 miles away as his home for tax purposes, a review by The Associated Press shows.
The patrol is conducting an internal investigation into whether Lt. Joel Ehler, its district manager in Council Bluffs, is in compliance with its residency policy and his moving benefits were handled appropriately. A patrol spokesman, Sgt. Nathan Ludwig, told the AP that it “is aware of the matter and takes very seriously” the concerns that were raised in an anonymous complaint that sparked the investigation.
“We are duty bound to investigate the allegation and all surrounding facts and circumstances,” he said. “We will objectively discharge our duties in that regard and will determine whether there is any merit to the complaint.”
Ehler had been stationed in Des Moines and living in the central Iowa town of Adel when was assigned in June 2017 to lead the patrol office based in Council Bluffs. He qualified for state-funded relocation benefits.