City of Des Moines, IA
09/26/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 09/26/2024 15:47
City of Des Moines Announces Finalists for New Police Chief
CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE Press Release
Des Moines, Iowa- Thursday, September 26, 2024 - The City of Des Moines is pleased to announce the two finalists for the position of Police Chief, with on-site interviews scheduled to take place next week. Information and headshots of the finalists are included with this release.
The search for a new Police Chief began earlier this year following the announcement of current Police Chief Dana Wingert's retirement, which will officially take place following the selection of his successor. Chief Wingert has served the Des Moines community for years, and his retirement marks a significant transition for the city.
A group of community stakeholders will participate in the interview process, providing feedback to aid in the final decision. The new Police Chief is expected to be named in October.
Michael McTaggart
Mr. McTaggart is currently a Police Major with the Des Moines Police Department (DMPD) overseeing the operations division, the largest of DMPD. Mr. McTaggart began his law enforcement career as a Police Officer with the City of Des Moines in 1999. He promoted to Police Sergeant in 2011 working in the Patrol Division, the Robbery / Homicide Section and the Intelligence Unit. He promoted to Police Lieutenant in 2015, and Police Captain in 2018 where he worked in the Patrol and Investigations Divisions. He was promoted to his current role as Police Major in 2022. Mr. 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.
Joshua Wallace
Mr. Wallace is currently the Commander of the Criminal Network Group - Bureau of Counterterrorism for the Chicago Police Department. Mr. Wallace was promoted to Patrol Sergeant with the Chicago Police Department in 2012. In 2014, he was assigned as a Supervising Sergeant for the Bureau of Organized Crime - Narcotics Division. In 2018, Mr. Wallace was promoted to Lieutenant for the Bureau of Patrol, where he served as a Watch Operations Lieutenant/Field Lieutenant and Tactical Lieutenant. Mr. Wallace was promoted to District Commander with the Bureau of Patrol in 2020 and reassigned to his current role as Commander of the Criminal Network Group - Bureau of Counterterrorism in 2023. Mr. Wallace possesses a Bachelor of Science in Law Enforcement Management from Calumet College of St. Joseph and a Master of Science in Administration of Justice & Security from the University of Phoenix. He has completed training with the FBI National Academy, the Senior Management Institute for Police with the Police Executive Research Forum, and the School of Police Staff & Command at Northwestern University.