Des Moines City Council Unanimously Approves Selection of Chief of Police

Press Release

Des Moines, Iowa- Wednesday, October 9, 2024 - The Des Moines City Council gave its seal of approval to hire Michael McTaggart as the City's 45^th Police Chief at a special meeting this afternoon.

"Michael McTaggart stood out as a candidate not only for his achievements, but also for the relationships he has built in our community over the past 25 years," City Manager Scott Sanders said. "Chief McTaggart will have big shoes to fill in his new role and I have the utmost confidence that he will be able to rise to the challenge."

The City Council's 7-0 vote to approve City Manager Scott Sanders' recommendation concludes a search for the City's next police chief that began when current Chief of Police Dana Wingert announced his retirement this spring.

"Finding the right person to lead our Police Department into the future has been a top priority since we learned of Chief Wingert's retirement," Mayor Connie Boesen said. "The law enforcement field is evolving rapidly, which is why we need a leader who is able to adapt and keep DMPD on the cutting edge of law enforcement."

The search process included multiple rounds of community engagement and feedback that helped shape the recruitment process, and including giving feedback on the two finalists.

"Our stakeholders consistently mentioned the need for a candidate who could connect with the community and had a great sense of humanity," Sanders said. "This established a standard that I kept coming back to when reviewing our candidates and helped finalize my choice. Michael's strong connection with the residents of Des Moines will serve him well as he continues to foster a sense of community between the department and our city."

Michael McTaggart began his career as a Police Officer with the Des Moines Police Department 25 years ago before rising to through the ranks to the position of Police Major in 2022. Through the course of his career, McTaggart has spent time in the Patrol Division, Robbery / Homicide Section, Intelligence Unit and the Investigations Division before overseeing the Operations Division as major, the largest division in the DMPD.

"It's with great excitement that I look forward to serving as the next Chief of Police for the Des Moines Police Department," McTaggart said. "During my career, the DMPD has changed in numerous ways for the better and I'm looking forward to continuing the progress of improving our law enforcement practices, relationship with the community and recruiting and promotion efforts."

McTaggart's time with the City also includes implementing and growing the C.A.R.E. and Mobile Crisis Response Team and spearheading the downtown safety plan, both of which have seen tremendous success.

"Michael has consistently shown his ability to implement new programs and practices that move the Des Moines Police Department forward," Sanders said. "His focus on the community, adaptability, and his long-term vision will benefit the entire department as he guides DMPD forward."

McTaggart possesses a Master of Science in Criminal Justice from the University of Cincinnati, and a Bachelor of Arts in Criminology from the University of Northern Iowa. He has also completed training at the Senior Management Institute for Police with the Police Executive Research Forum and the School of Police Staff & Command with Northwestern University.

With City Council confirmation of Sanders' choice for police chief, the City Manager will now finalize details of a plan for DMPD to transition from the leadership of Chief Wingert to Chief McTaggart over the next month.

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