Criminal Investigation Division
Division Commander

Lieutenant Kent Knopf has been a Police Officer since 1983.  He started his career by working part time as a Police Officer while attending Iowa Central Community College in Fort Dodge.  He graduated from Iowa Central with a degree in Law Enforcement in May of 1984 and from the Iowa Law enforcement Academy in December of 1984.  He began his full time duties upon graduation from the I.L.E.A. with the Rockwell City Police Department. 

He joined the Urbandale Police Department in 1987 and worked three years as a police officer.  In 1990 he joined the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement as a Special Agent working in undercover narcotic investigations.  In 1992 Lieutenant Knopf returned to the Urbandale Police Department and worked in the Patrol Division.

Lieutenant Knopf was promoted to Sergeant in 2002.  He has served as a Watch Commander for the Patrol Division and a Sergeant in the Staff Services Division.  He is a past Commander of the Urbandale Tactical Unit and Executive Officer for the combined S.E.R.T. Team.  He also serves as an Adjunct Instructor for the I.L.E.A. in Precision Driving, Less Lethal Munitions and the Police Taser.

On February 1st 2010 Lieutenant Knopf was promoted to Commander of the Patrol Division.  As Patrol Commander he supervised the three patrol shifts that provide service to the Urbandale Community. 

In December of 2012, Lieutenant Knopf was transferred to the Criminal Investigation Division, where he has taken over as Criminal Investigation Division Command.  

Lt. Knopf can be contacted at (515) 331-6819 or by email.