The Des Moines Register, Wednesday, January 3, 1996, 1A 
 
'I feel we have to be more careful of who we put in charge of 
your kids.' 
-- Brad Van Horn, parent 
 
Shock, anger follow arrest of policman 
 
Urbadale youths looked up to James Trimble, who encouraged them 
to lead responsible, drug-free lives. 
 
By STEPHANIE ARMOUR 
Register Staff Writer 
 
     Urbandale, Ia. -- For years. Angie Van Horn believed her 
basketball coach was dedicated to keeping kids off drugs. 
     Now the 15-year-old doesn't know what to believe. 
     Early Tnesday morning, her parents told her that James R. 
Trimble -- an Urbandale police officer and long-time coach -- had 
been arrested.  The liaison officer with the Urbandale school 
district is charged with trafficking in marijuana and 
methamphetamine. 
     Police also say Trimble -- found with a sexual device 
insented in his body -- was driving around with scores of sex-
oriented videotapes and pictures, including photos of himself.  A 
Des Moines woman was arrested with him. 
     "I looked up to him as a teachcr," Angie said of Trimble, 
who had been the ninth-grade girls' basketball coach.  "He would 
tell us not to do drugs and what they can do to you,  I'm kind of 
angry, because he was teaching me not to do that kind of stuff." 
     Angie's not alone.  Parents, students and co-workers who 
know Trimble expressed anger and shock at news of the arrest. 
     Trimble. an 18-year veteran of the Urbandale force, coached 
ninth-grade girls' basketball and volleyball.  He also was an 
officer with the district's Drug Abuse Resistance Education 
(D.A.R.E.) program. 
 
"A Hollow Spot" 
     Family members also said they were stunned. 
     "I just have a big hollow spot," said his mother, Beverly 
Trimble.  "I'm too upset.  Until I have a chance to talk to my 
son, I have no comment.  If you would let this subject drop, it 
would give the family some peace." 
     Starting today, the Urbandale district will launch a "crisis 
plan" -- holding group meetings and visits with counselors to 
discuss Trimble's arrest. 
     In light of some of the sexual material found with Trimble, 
administrators said they will probably talk with students to see 
if anyone felt uncomfortable with, or was threatened by, the 
officer. 
     Trimble has been suspended by the police department and the 
school district. 
     As a D.A.R.E. officer, he was one of several police members 
who would talk to young people about staying off drugs.  The 17-
week program is aimed at fifth-graders. 
     He was described as a somewhat tempermental basketball coach 
who would cheer at football games and sit in on drug-abuse 
panels.  His daughter is a student in the Urbandale school 
district. 
 
"People Are In Shock" 
     "A lot of people are in shock," said Urbandale Police Chief 
David Hamlin.  "He had a good background and devoted the last 
five years to working with young people.  It makes it more 
difficult to understand." 
     But some parents said they don't understand why Trimble was 
working with kids in the first place. 
     "We're very surprised and upset at the school system," said 
Brad Van Horn, Angie's father.  "I feel we have to be more 
careful of who we put in charge of your kids.  It stands to 
reason you can trust a police officer." 
     Some said they were troubled by the sexual smorgasbord 
discovered with Trimble. 
     He had "all kinds of sexually explicit" material, said Des 
Moines police Sgt. Bill Judkins.  Police said Trimble had a 
sexual device connected to a battery pack inserted in his body. 
     School officials described Trimble as "very actcve" in 
student activities, although not at the elementaty level. 
     "We are shocked and saddened by this," said Len Cockman, an 
Urbandale school spokesman. 
     But some said there should be few surprises when it comes to 
methamphetamine. 
     "Quite frankly, I can tell you we've been involved in 
investigating every race, every nationality, almost every 
occupatIon you can think of," said Des Moines police Lt. Russell 
Underwood.  "Now there's a police officer, which is devastating." 
 
SCHOOL ROLES 
 
Urbandale officer James Trimble was involved in: 
 
* Coaching ninth-grade girls' basketball and volleyball in the 
Urbandale school district. 
 
* Drug Abuse Resistance Education, or D.A.R.E., as a school 
liaison officer. 
 
* Quest, a program at Urbandale Middle School that aims to build 
character and values.