A TOP IOWA DRUG AGENT FIRED FOR BREAKING RULES

The details of Ken Arduser's transgressions are kept underwraps.

Ken Arduser, a top drug agent for the Department of Public Safety, has been
fired by Director Paul Wieck.

Wieck confirmed Monday that the 28-year veteran and special agent in charge
with the Division of Narcotics Enforcement was "dismissed for infractions
of departmental rules and regulations" last week.

Wieck, however, declined to be specific about the allegations.

"It involves administrative type things, the way we expect officers, and
for that matter supervisors to comport themselves," Wieck said. "We're not
talking about any misappropriation of drugs or money or anything like
that."

Arduser was not available for comment.

Wieck said Arduser was a supervisor and could ask the Employment Appeal
Board to review the firing. It's not clear if those steps have been taken.

The firing of Arduser was another in a series of developments that have
troubled the agency.

In the past two years, the agency has been shaken by incidents of state
trooper violence, drastic changes in the medical examiner's office, and an
unprecedented destruction of evidence at the Division of Criminal
Investigation's crime lab.

A state auditor's study found that the fire marshal's office, which is also
part of the agency, was not making some important safety inspections.

Critics have claimed that the agency has gotten too large and needs more
oversight, but Wieck has defended the operation saying, "The quality of
employees ... has never been better."

Reporter Frank Santiago can be reached at (515) 284-8528 or
santiagof@news.dmreg.com

Checked-by: (Joel W. Johnson)