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Linn County sheriff outlines staffing shifts, reviews officer-involved shooting response
Summary
The sheriff reported leadership changes including the retirement of Colonel Doug Renaker and promotions that reassign patrol oversight; he also described an officer-involved shooting off Tower Terrace Road that left a suspect hospitalized and pending transport for criminal charges.
The Linn County sheriff told the Board of Supervisors that Colonel Doug Renaker will retire at month’s end after roughly 31 years of service, and that Major Chad Colston will be elevated to chief deputy while Chris Smith was promoted to major to run patrol and oversee the detective bureau.
The sheriff said the department is conducting multiple promotion interviews for sergeant, lieutenant and captain roles and is hiring deputies, detention officers and a dispatcher to fill current vacancies. "We swore in 2 new deputies yesterday," he said, and added the office is "only down to 1 dispatcher position." (Speaker 3)
He also reviewed a recent officer-involved incident off Tower Terrace Road, saying the suspect fired at a deputy from a vehicle, crashed after a pursuit, ran into a field and continued to exchange gunfire before officers "neutralize[d] that threat." The sheriff said, "He will survive. He's currently being treated, and we're waiting for his discharge from the hospital to bring him back to jail to face the charges." He said Linn County is coordinating with Cedar Rapids, Hiawatha, Robins, U.S. Marshals, the ATF, state patrol and DCI on the investigation and future charging with County Attorney Nick Maybanks. (Speaker 3)
The sheriff described support steps for involved officers: they were placed on critical leave while investigators with the Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) review the use-of-force and personnel were offered behavioral-health follow-up. "All those officers and deputies who were actively involved in that situation were placed on critical leave," he said. (Speaker 3)
Board members praised the sheriff’s office for communication during the incident. One supervisor said the sheriff’s timely public statements helped counter rumor and assuage community concern. (Speaker 2)
The sheriff framed the interagency response as cooperative and orderly: "Literally, we all met together as a large group, and we decided who was gonna do what," he said. No charges have been filed publicly; Maybanks said the office will file appropriate charges once the suspect is medically cleared and transported to the county jail. (Speakers 3, 4)
The board did not take further public action on the case during the meeting; follow-up will be handled through criminal filings and DCI’s investigative process.
