Concern Grows Over Criminal Activity At Former GRC Campus

The Glenwood Police Department has an active investigation into multiple incidents of vandalism, burglary,  criminal mischief and even an assault that have occurred in recent months on the former Glenwood Resource Center campus.

The incidents range from break-ins and property destruction at some of the vacant buildings and underground tunnels to unlawful entry and use of Southwest Iowa Transit Agency (SWITA) buses and the assault of a GRC power plant employee.

“During the break-in in one of the tunnels, they ended up assaulting one of the staff members from the power house,” said Glenwood Police Chief Eric Johansen. “We charged a couple of them then.”

There have also been incidents of individuals breaking into SWITA buses parked on the campus and taking the vehicles joy riding. Two of the vehicles were recovered on the same night after getting stuck and becoming disabled.

“One of the them got high-centered on a gravel pile and the other one drove into a ditch down by the (GRC) cemetery,” Johansen said.

Johansen said it was a normal practice for SWITA bus drivers to leave the keys in the vehicles after they were parked. Since the incidents, the police department has advised SWITA officials not to have drivers leave keys in the buses.

Johansen said some arrests of “young adults” have been made while the department continues its investigation into the incidents.

The State Of Iowa closed the Glenwood Resource Center, a facility that housed and provided care for individuals with intellectual and physical disabilities, on June 30, 2024. Earlier this year, the property was transferred to the Glenwood Redevelopment Corporation, a non-profit organization in charge of overseeing the redevelopment of approximately 250 acres of the campus. The redevelopment corporation and police department are working together to address the criminal activity on the campus.

“Obviously, it’s a concern” said Glenwood Redevelopment Corporation spokesperson Larry Winum. “We realized when we took over, there would be some potential for vandalism.

“The police department has been great – they do their normal rounds. They go up there and check, whether it’s during the day or late at night, but we can’t expect them to sit up there.”

Johansen said some of the vandalism in the vacant buildings wasn’t reported to the police department, but is still a concern.

“I think there’s been several buildings busted into and windows broken that never did get reported, just because I don’t think they’re overly concerned up there with buildings that have been cleared out,” he said. “But, if somebody gets in there, gets hurt and there aren’t any eyes or ears around, it could be bad.”

At the recommendation of the police department, barricades and “No Trespassing” signs are going to be installed in designated areas around the campus.

“We’re going to do the best we can to restrict some of the access – probably to the southern half of the campus,” Winum said. “At this point, we purchased some barricades. The goal is to try to get those barricades set so it makes it more difficult for people to at least drive around the campus. We’re also probably going to put some ‘No Trespassing’ signs that might say something to the extent from 9 o’clock at night to 7 o’clock in the morning.

“We’re going to meet with Eric when we get these barricades and figure out the right place to set them, because obviously we have to maintain access for Glen Haven and the school system.”

Both Johansen and Winum acknowledged that some local residents utilize the trails and roads for recreational and exercise purposes, which is allowed and encouraged.

“We know there are people that go up there and walk around and ride their bikes, and frankly, that’s fine,” Winum said. “We kind of want people to feel like they can do some of that, particularly before we start demolishing buildings. That will be a little ways from now.”