DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A divided Iowa Supreme Court is concluding its term with a ruling that will require police to obtain warrants more often before searching inside suspects’ vehicles. In a 4-3 ruling, the court ruled Tuesday the Iowa Constitution generally requires officers to obtain warrants before they can search vehicles during traffic stops.

The court said a Davenport officer violated a drug suspect’s privacy rights when he searched a locked safe found in his van. The search uncovered a loaded revolver and several baggies of marijuana. The court’s majority says that evidence should be suppressed. Its new rule says warrantless searches inside vehicles are justified only when safety concerns are at issue.

Dissenting justices say the rule will be a challenge for arresting officers to implement and goes against prior precedent.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports 1,300 pounds of #6 solid, bare copper was stolen from the Villisca Power Plant. The copper is in the form of about 30-to 40 hand coils, weighing approximately 30-pounds each. The loss was estimated at $3,000.

The theft is believed to have occurred June 22nd-and 26th. Anyone with information about the crime is asked to call the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office at 712-623-5107, or Crimestoppers, at 1-888-434-2712.

Police in Atlantic report the arrest last Friday of an Elk Horn man on a sexual abuse charge. Officials say 38-year old Loren Buskirk was taken into custody on a charge Sexual Abuse in the 2nd Degree. He was booked into the Cass County Jail and held.

Authorities said also, 20-year old Bryce Baker, of Atlantic, was arrested Sunday for Public Intoxication and Interference with Official Acts. Baker was released from custody later than same day. And, 20-year old Philip Thompson, of Lewis, was arrested Sunday, for Violation of a No Contact Order. He remains held in the Cass County Jail.

JOHNSTON, Iowa (AP) – Gov. Terry Branstad is appointing former Des Moines police chief Judy Bradshaw as the new director of the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy. Bradshaw has been the academy’s assistant director since retiring from the Des Moines Police Department last year. She will replace director Arlen Ciechanowski, who has decided to retire after his appointment to a four-year term wasn’t approved by the Iowa Senate.

Branstad withdrew Ciechanowski’s appointment after Democrats raised questions about his management and whether the academy had a welcoming environment for female cadets. Branstad says the 56-year-old Bradshaw has the “leadership, knowledge, temperament and communications skills” necessary to lead the academy.

Bradshaw says she looks forward to helping teach future police officers “best practices to effectively serve their communities.” Her appointment is subject to Senate confirmation next spring.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – Funding has been pulled for adult day care for veterans in Omaha and western Iowa due to a $2.5 billion shortfall in the Department of Veterans of Affair’s health care budget. The Omaha World-Herald reports that the VA Nebraska-Western Iowa Health Care System will no longer cover adult day care and other forms of non-skilled nursing care after July 31st.

VA spokesman Will Ackerman says that officials understand that it’s an inconvenience to veterans and their families but that they must be good stewards of taxpayer dollars.  Ackerman says the VA will work with veterans’ families to ease the transition.

Police in Glenwood report the arrest on Monday of 23-year old Theodore Brayman. The Glenwood man was charged with Public intoxication and Disorderly Conduct. His bond was set at $600.