The Sigourney Police Department currently consists of 1 full-time officers and 3 reserve officers. The department is very active in the community and provides programs at the schools and other organizations throughout the year.
Chief of Police: Kris Metcalf
Assistant Chief of Police:
Officer:
Non-emergency Phone: 641-622-2345
In 2009 the Sigourney Police Department purchased a radar trailer using funds from the Iowa Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau and local option sales and service tax. The radar trailer allows drivers of approaching vehicles to see their vehicle’s speed in real time. Any Sigourney citizen that notices a speeding problem in their neighborhood may call the Police Department and request that the radar trailer be set up in their area.
Scam Information
PayDay Loan Scam
The Sigourney Police Department would like to notify you of a scam that is currently taking place in surrounding areas. An individual will call and state they are from a “firm”, and then inform you that you owe money on a PayDay Loan. If you have not used PayDay Loan then this should be the first indication that this may be a scam. The individual may already have your social security number and even provide that to you over the phone. The individual has also been able to gather the phone numbers of family members of their target and placing calls to them also. If this happens to you do not give them any information, contact law enforcement, notify your bank and have them monitor your account.
Grandparent Scam
It has recently been reported to the Sigourney Police Department that the grandparent scam is still ongoing in the area. The grandparent scam can happen in various ways but usually takes place as follows: You will receive a phone call from someone who is claiming to be your grandchild or possibly calling on behalf of your grandchild. They will say that they need a certain amount of money for one of various reasons (in jail, need rent, ect.) The individual will ask you to wire them money (usually through Western Union, MoneyGram, ect.). The caller will be VERY persuasive that you don’t contact the grandchild’s parents or family members, usually stating because they don’t want them to know of the situation. If this happens to you, talk to family members that are aware of the grandchild’s whereabouts or contact the Sigourney Police Department at 641-622-2345 before wiring the money.
Tech Scam
It has frequently been reported to the Sigourney Police Department that there is a telephone scam going on in our area that involves computer problems. A Sigourney resident reported that a caller that claimed to be from a computer company told him that it had come to his attention that his computer had errors on it. The caller then tried to walk the resident through steps on the computer. Luckily, our Sigourney resident was feeling uncomfortable with the phone call and hung up. If a caller were to gain access to your computer they could possibly do the following:
Trick you into installing malicious software that could capture sensitive data, such as online banking user names and passwords. They might also then charge you to remove this software.
Take control of your computer remotely and adjust settings to leave your computer vulnerable.
Request credit card information so they can bill you for phony services.
Direct you to fraudulent websites and ask you to enter credit card and other personal or financial information there.
Not all phone calls could be conducted the same and it is important for you to know that companies usually never contact you to let you know there is an issue on your computer. If someone calls you and you are concerned with the authenticity of the phone call, feel free to call the Sigourney Police Department at 641-622-2345 before doing any kind of business with the caller. Another option is to contact a local company that provides computer tech support.