Opinion ID: 2169345
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Defendants' immunity under Iowa Code sections 670.4(3) and 670.12.

Text: We concluded above that the damage caused to Kelley's property does not amount to a taking of private property within the meaning of article I, section 18 of the Iowa Constitution for which compensation must be paid. We also noted that Kelley's claim for compensation seems to be more in the nature of a tort. In that regard, the district court concluded, however, that the county and sheriff were immune from liability based on tort under Iowa Code chapter 670, the Municipal Tort Claims Act. Plaintiff contends this was error. Pursuant to Iowa Code section 670.4(3), a municipality or county has no liability for [a]ny claim based upon an act ... of an officer or employee of the municipality, exercising due care, in the execution of a statute, ... whether the statute, ... is valid, .... (Emphasis added.) Iowa Code section 670.12 extends this immunity to officers and employees of municipalities: [a]ll officers and employees of municipalities are not personally liable for claims which are exempted under section 670.4, except claims for punitive damages, and actions permitted under section 85.20. An officer or employee of a municipality is not liable for punitive damages as a result of acts in the performance of a duty, unless actual malice or willful, wanton and reckless misconduct is proven. The district court characterized the damage caused to Kelley's property by the officers as tortious conduct, rather than a taking of private property under the county's powers of eminent domain. Additionally, the court concluded that the officers exercised due care for purposes of section 670.4(3) in entering the residence pursuant to their authority under Iowa Code section 804.15 and that the county was therefore immune from liability under Iowa Code section 670.4(3). Upon our review, we agree with the district court's conclusion that the county is immune under Iowa Code section 670.4(3) for any tort claim by plaintiff Kelley for compensation. As we concluded above, the officers properly exercised their authority granted to them by Iowa Code section 804.15 when they forcibly entered the residence. It therefore follows that the officers met the exercising due care requirement of Iowa Code section 670.4(3). Cf. May, 469 N.E.2d at 1183-84 (state was immune from liability for damage caused by state police officers to private property under state tort claims act which grants immunity to public body for torts committed while enforcing a state law). We also point out that the language exercising due care found in section 670.4(3) acts as a check on the county's exercise of police power to enforce the criminal laws. This is because a municipality cannot avail itself of the immunity provisions of sections 670.4(3) and 670.12 if the government employees do not exercise due care in executing a statute in the first instance. Thus, the possibility remains that a property owner may be entitled to compensation for damage to property when law enforcement officers fail to use due care in performing their statutory duties, which is not the situation here. We therefore conclude that the county, under Iowa Code section 670.4(3), and the sheriff and his employees, under section 670.12, have immunity concerning Kelley's tort claim for compensation for damage caused by the officers to his property. The decision of the district court is affirmed on this issue.