Finalists for Des Moines’ next Chief of Police announced

DES MOINES, Iowa — Des Moines Police Chief Dana Wingert is down to his final few weeks on the job. He’s retiring after more than 30 years in law enforcement and the list of candidates to replace him is now down to two.

The City of Des Moines announced the two finalists Thursday and said they’ll be taking part in on-site interviews next week.

The finalists include current Des Moines Police Major Michael McTaggart, who joined the department in 2011 and quickly rose through the ranks. He has a Bachelor of Arts in Criminology from the University of Northern Iowa and a Master of Science in Criminal Justice from the University of Cincinnati. McTaggart has also completed training at the Senior Management Institute for Police with the Police Executive Research Forum and the School of Police Staff & Command at Northwestern University.

The second finalist is Chicago Police Department Commander Joshua Wallace. He’s the head of the department’s Criminal Network Group within its Bureau of Counterterrorism. He has 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. Wallace has also 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.

A group of community stakeholders will participate in the interview process. The City says a new Police Chief is expected to be named in October.

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