WEST DES MOINES, Iowa — Multiple law enforcement agencies were part of a chase that began in West Des Moines and ended in Altoona Thursday morning after police say a woman stole a police car. WHO-TV reports Sgt. Dan Wade, the Public Information Officer for the West Des Moines Police Department, said the incident began around 2-a.m., when an officer responded to the area of S. 60th and Village View Drive on a mental health call. While trying to assist an adult woman at the location, Sgt. Wade said she slipped into the police car and drove away.

Police were able to track the car using GPS as the woman went east on Mills Civic Parkway, then north on I-35/80. The top speed of the chase was clocked at 125 miles per hour said Sgt. Wade. Near 86th Street on I-80 stop sticks were used to try to disable the vehicle. The vehicle exited I-80 in Altoona and came to rest at the intersection of Highway 65 and 8th Street, where law enforcement was able to take the driver into custody. The chase lasted about 20 minutes.

The driver has been hospitalized to receive the mental health treatment she needs, but will face charges upon her release.

One other responding law enforcement vehicle had minor damage from the incident, but no bystanders were injured or involved. The Iowa State Patrol, Urbandale Police Department, Polk County Sheriff’s Office, and Altoona Police Department assisted the West Des Moines Police Department in the pursuit and arrest.

LANSING, Iowa (KCRG-TV) — The City of Lansing will have to lean on the Allamakee County Sheriff’s Office for law enforcement services, while the city hires new police officers. KCRG reports that on July 15, the New Hampton City Council approved hiring Conrad Rosendahl as the new Chief of Police. Rosenthal was the former Police Chief for the Lansing/New Albin Police Department. With Rosenthal gone, Lansing was down to just two officers.

But according to Lansing Mayor Mike Verdon, those two officers are set to leave as well.

You can read his full statement below:

“Our chief of police resigned to take the position of chief at New Hampton. Thereafter one of our two officers submitted his resignation and is assuming the same duties in New Hampton. The other officer also resigned and is, I believe, going to return to work in EMS with the Gundersen Health System in northeast Iowa and southwest Wisconsin. The last day for the two officers will be this Friday, the 26th.

Until such time as we can hire staff to replace the three departing individuals, law enforcement services will be provided by the Allamakee County Sheriff’s office.

Thank you,

(Radio Iowa) – Federal Disaster Unemployment Assistance is now available to those who live in Osceola and Pottawattamie Counties. Iowa Workforce Development director Beth Townsend says you should see if you qualify. “We want anybody whose job has been affected to apply for benefits,” she says. Buena Vista, Cherokee, Clay, Dickenson, Emmet, Humboldt, Lyon, O’Brien, Palo Alto, Plymouth, Sioux, and Woodbury Counties had already been approved for the disaster relief.

“We get these disaster areas and the president issues a proclamation for that area, what that means for the state of Iowa is that those disaster related unemployment claims are paid by the federal government,” Townsend says. She says the source of the money isn’t the most important issue.

“That doesn’t matter to the to the regular you know Joe on the street who just wants to get his benefits so we encourage anybody who has any questions to contact us,” she says. You will need your Social Security Number and the name and address of your last employer or prospective employer to file for disaster assistance.

(Radio Iowa) 0- Cedar Falls is fighting a wave of hate speech that’s appearing through graffiti. Several sites along the city’s trails and public infrastructure were spray-painted this week with swastikas and homophobic slurs. Sonja Bock, a member of the Cedar Falls Human Rights Commission, points to the current divisive political climate and past attitudes as contributors to the outbreak.

“We’re in a time where we’re extremely polarized,” Bock says, “and some of these groups are gaining momentum again like they did in the old days.” Bock is concerned that far-right extremism has been present in northeast Iowa for a while, and current events have emboldened those groups to speak out.

“I think it’s been quietly brewing probably ever since Obama,” Bock says. “There are several factions that have really intently mobilized and have done a really good job of spreading their message to certain groups, especially in rural areas.” In addition to the hate symbols, a telephone number appeared this week at one of the vandalized sites that’s linked to a white supremacist group.