The Peace Officer Memorial is fronted by a stone which explains the artist's conception of the elements of the memorial.  The stone reads: 

The three outer forms represent the three levels of law enforcement in Iowa. 

The equal spacing represents the equal sharing of responsibility. 

The circles represent the cooperation and fraternity between agencies and departments. 

The three gray paths to the center represent the agencies and departments uniting to serve, sacrifice, and mourn. 

The center pinnacle represents the service, dedication, and sacrifice shared by each peace officer. 

The top of each outer form represents the aim of each peace officer with the goal being just short of the ultimate act of giving one's life, which is represented by the top of the center pinnacle.

- Designed by C. Richard Webb

The memorial stone also lists the committee members, which planned and organized the development and dedication of the memorial. Those members include:  the Honorable Terry E. Branstad, Governor of Iowa, the Honorable Lee Holt, State Senator, Adrian D. Anderson, Raymond K. Baker, Glenn F. Brockett, Cindy Hill-Collier, George S. Mills, Gene W. Shepard, and Connie A. White. 

Supplementing the Iowa Peace Officer Memorial are two plaques which are on display the Iowa Department of Public Safety Building located at 215 East 7th Street, Des Moines, Iowa.  One recognizes each Iowa peace officer who has died in the line of duty, and the other recognizes Iowans who have died while engaged in law enforcement or closely related functions, but who were not peace officers.