LARRY L. NOBLE - COMMISSIONER
Iowa Department of Public Safety

Governor Terry E. Branstad appointed Larry L. Noble as the Commissioner of Public Safety effective January 14, 2011. Commissioner Noble is the 21st person to serve as Commissioner of Public Safety since its inception. The department employs 958 persons with a $122 million operating budget. Commissioner Noble also serves as the Chair of the Board of Trustees for the $270 + million Peace Officer Retirement System. Commissioner Noble grew up and went to high school in Grandview, Missouri. While attending college at Central

Missouri State University, he became a Police Officer for the city of Warrensburg, and served with that department until graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice Administration.

Upon graduation in June 1973, he was appointed as a Special Agent with the Iowa Department of Public Safety's Division of Criminal Investigation. In that capacity Special Agent Noble worked in the area of vice enforcement, general criminal investigation, and welfare fraud. Special Agent Noble was also a physical fitness instructor at the Department of Public Safety's basic academy for new recruits.

In 1979, he transferred to the Iowa State Patrol as a Trooper and was assigned to the Governor's Security Detail for both Governor Robert D. Ray and Governor Terry E. Branstad until 1982 when he became an Assistant District One Commander in Des Moines for the Iowa State Patrol.

Promoted to Lieutenant in 1986, Lieutenant Noble became a District Commander for northeast Iowa working out of Oelwein. In 1988, he was promoted to Captain and returned to Ankeny as the Executive Assistant to the Commissioner of Public Safety. Upon the departure of the Commissioner from the Department, he was appointed Acting Commissioner by the Governor and was responsible for the operation of the entire Department until a new Commissioner took office. Promoted to the rank of Major in 1994, he accepted the position of Administrative Operations Officer for the Iowa State Patrol, where he was responsible for the management of the patrol's multi million dollar budget along with other administrative duties.

During his career Commissioner Noble was a member of an advisory board for the criminal justice program at Indian Hills Community College (Ottumwa campus), and was an invited presenter at the Des Moines Area Community College (Ankeny campus).

After retiring, Commissioner Noble ran for the Iowa State Senate and was elected in 2006. During his first term Senator Noble was presented one of the prestigious 2008 "Gold Star Award" from the State Sheriffs and Deputies Association for his public service to protect the safety of Iowa citizens.

In November 2010, he was re-elected to a second term. He resigned his Senate seat when Governor Terry E. Branstad appointed him to his current duties as the Commissioner of the Department of Public Safety.

Commissioner Noble was a certified instructor in Law Enforcement Ethics & Professionalism. He was also a member of the Iowa State Police Association and the Iowa State Patrol Supervisors Association, and a former member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police. He is listed in Steven's Who's Who in Government Services, West's Who's Who in Government Services, West's Who's Who in U.S. Executives, West's Who's Who in Law Enforcement, and International Who's Who in Professionals.

Commissioner Noble and his wife Jane are Ankeny area residents and they have four grown children.

Headquartered in the DPS Building on the Capitol complex in Des Moines, the Iowa Department of Public Safety is the law enforcement agency for the state of Iowa. The Iowa Department of Public Safety has 38 facilities located around the state and employs 958 individuals. Of these 958 employees more than 600 are sworn peace officers, serving Iowans through the Iowa State Patrol, Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Division of Criminal Investigation, State Fire Marshal and the Division of Intelligence & Fusion Center.

Commissioner Noble can be reached at:

Iowa Department of Public Safety
Commissioner’s Office
215 East 7th Street
Des Moines, IA 50319
(515) 725-6182
noble@dps.state.ia.us