Polk County officials discuss reinstating intensive pretrial release program to reduce jail days

Sheriff Schneider and Polk County public‑safety officials asked the Board to consider funding a reinstated intensive pretrial release program (level 4) administered by the Iowa Department of Corrections’ Fifth District. Sheriff Schneider said the program allows certain defendants to remain in the community pending trial “because they’re not convicted” while being intensively supervised, and that the county previously used level‑4 supervision until 2023.

Chief Corey Williams described how intensive pretrial (level 4) differed from the statutorily required levels 1–3 and said the county supported level‑4 supervision before the county stopped doing so in 2023: “Prior to the 2023, intensive pretrial release was supported by Polk County.” He and other presenters said the reduction in intensive supervision corresponded with a decline in people under pretrial supervision—from 737 individuals in November 2023 to 545 in May 2025, a decrease of about 26%—and that their analysis shows fewer pretrial supervision cases have led to increased jail population and out‑of‑county jail days.

Presenters said Polk…