9 8 25 City Council Proceedings Official SpecialCITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
CITY COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS
SPECIAL SESSION
OFFICIAL
The Dubuque City Council met in special session at 6:00 p.m. on September 8, 2025,
in the Dubuque Law Enforcement Center, 770 Iowa Street.
Present: Mayor Cavanagh; Council Members Farber (arrived at 6:37 p.m.), Jones,
Resnick, Roussell, Sprank, Wethal; City Manager Van Milligen, City Attorney Brumwell.
Mayor Cavanagh read the call and stated this is a special session of the City Council
called for the purpose of conducting a work session on the Precision Policing Center.
WORK SESSION
Precision Policing Center
Police Captains Luke Bock and Scott Baxter made a presentation on the Precision
Policing Center (PPC). As part of their presentation, Police Officer Ethan Lembke
conducted a live drone demonstration. In response to questions, Bock and Police Chief
Jeremy Jensen confirmed that the Police Department collaborates with the Fire
Department to deploy drones during fire-related incidents. Separately, within police
operations, drones are commonly used for traf fic accidents, foot pursuits, navigating
difficult terrain, capturing aerial imagery of crime scenes near bluffs, and identifying train
blockages. Jensen noted that drones are currently the fastest-growing technology in law
enforcement. They also addressed questions regarding drone battery life, flight range,
and federal regulatory constraints. Baxter clarified that police camera footage is used
strictly for internal purposes and that officers are notified if another officer intends to live
stream body camera footage. Following the presentation and questions, staff led a tour
of the PPC facility.
After the tour, Crime and Intelligence Analyst Samantah Schueller and PPC
Technicians Beth Beaves, Zach Steger, and Alex Riniker presented on their roles and
operations. Bock confirmed that the department can track time spent on calls for service
to evaluate the impact of Schueller’s work. Both Bock and Jensen stated that the data
collected helps identify repeat crime locations and emerging trends. Jensen stated that
while the PPC may not directly influence police officer recruitment, current officers have
been impressed with its outcomes. He also confirmed that the City’s automated license
plate reader system, Flock, is used exclusively for criminal investigations. City Council
Members commended the PPC’s operational efficiencies and praised the staff’s support
of frontline officers. They also expressed appreciation for the collaborative approach and
noted that they look forward to the additional efficiencies that will be identified over time.
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business, Mayor Cavanagh declared the meeting adjourned at
8:18 p.m.
/s/Adrienne N. Breitfelder, CMC, City Clerk