The Des Moines Police Department is the municipal police department for the city of Des Moines, Iowa. The department is the largest law enforcement agency in the state of Iowa.[1]
On January 21, 1896, the size of Des Moines increased significantly when state legislature granted the city a new charter allowing it to absorb the eight towns surrounding the city. As the size of the city increased, the need for public safety increased. In 1908 the city auditor issued an annual report of the city which stated appointed the Chief of Police. By the turn of the 20th century the police department was loosely structured and consisted of a patrol division and administration division. The patrol division consisted of patrol officers and detectives while the administration division consisted of jail staff.[2]
The Des Moines Police Department saw a decrease in the number of public disorder arrests between 1910 and 1920, which is attributed to the fact that in 1911 patrol officers began patrolling in automobiles and were less likely to observe public disorder incidents.[3]
Department Arrest Statistics from 1900 to 1970 (* per 1,000 population)[4]
Year
Public Disorder Arrests
Felony Arrests
Larceny Arrests
1900
67
1.15
3.23
1910
53
0.82
2.95
1920
14
0.64
1.81
1930
16
0.69
1.45
1940
27
3.17
10.64
1950
22
3.15
8.82
1960
21
6.76
18.34
1970
25
11.48
35.86
Organizational structure
The Des Moines Police Department consists of three separate divisions.[5]
Administrative Services Division
Operations Division
The division consists of the Patrol Services Bureau and the Homeland Security Bureau. The Homeland Security Bureau includes Airport Security, Bomb Squad, Fusion Center, and Metro Special Tactics and Response.[6]
Des Moines Police Department Bomb SquadInvestigations Division
The division consists of the Detective Bureau.
Substation
In addition to the police department headquarters, the Des Moines Police Department also has a substation located at 1300 Scott Ave, Des Moines, Iowa. The substation houses the Des Moines Police Department Traffic Unit.
On November 2, 2016, Des Moines Police Department Officer Sergeant Anthony Beminio and Urbandale Police Department Officer Justin Martin were killed in ambush-style shootings near Des Moines.[7] The shooting received national attention as PresidentBarack Obama described the killings as “shameful acts of violence," and continued on to say “Sgt. Anthony Beminio and Officer Justin Martin represented our best, most decent instincts as human beings — to serve our neighbors, to put ourselves in harm’s way for someone else.” [8] The lone suspect,[9] Scott Michael Greene, was quickly identified and apprehended by the Dallas County Sheriff's Office and the Iowa State Patrol the same day.[10]
Fallen officers
In the history of the Des Moines Police Department, 23 officers and 1 K9 unit have been killed in the line of duty.[11]
Officer
Date of death
Cause of death
Sergeant Anthony David Beminio
November 2, 2016
Gunfire
Police Officer Susan Louise Farrell
March 26, 2016
Drunk driver
Police Officer Carlos Puente-Morales
March 26, 2016
Drunk driver
Police Officer Roger Ray Hildreth
February 21, 2008
Heart attack
Police Officer Sean Wissink
February 11, 2007
Automobile accident
Police Officer Dennis Earl Hill
August 28, 1977
Gunfire
Patrolman Brian Charles Melton
April 21, 1977
Gunfire
Patrolman James Emory Rodine
August 13, 1968
Gunfire (Accidental)
Captain Charles T. Andreano
July 30, 1964
Automobile accident
Patrolman George Wesley Schane
May 4, 1942
Gunfire (Accidental)
Captain Steven Tabor Howard
March 2, 1935
Gunfire
Sergeant Harry Linn Booton
December 11, 1932
Gunfire
Sergeant James Joshua Cowart
December 7, 1931
Gunfire
Sergeant Rupert L. Shepherd
August 1, 1930
Motorcycle accident
Patrolman Harry Ogilvie
July 12, 1930
Gunfire
Patrolman James A. Staggs
April 20, 1928
Vehicular assault
Patrolman Gerald D. Pickett
September 24, 1925
Motorcycle accident
Patrolman Ollie D. Thomas
August 20, 1925
Gunfire
Detective Cornelius J. McCarthy
September 27, 1919
Gunfire
Chief of Police Charles Chester Jackson
December 16, 1918
Gunfire
Officer George William Mattern
April 12, 1918
Gunfire
Detective Frank Delmege
September 20, 1909
Gunfire
Special Officer Edward H. "Elijah" Wishart
July 1, 1891
Gunfire
K9 Unit
Date of death
Cause of death
K9 Harley
August 29, 2012
Heat exhaustion
List of Des Moines Chiefs of Police
A list of Police of Chiefs for the Des Moines Police Department. As of October 17, 2024 there have been a total of 59 Chiefs of Police.[12][13]
#
Name
Period as Chief of Police
1
J. Youngerman
1852-1853
2
P. Bower
1853-1854
3
J. Youngerman
1854-1855
4
J. Harter
1855-1856
5
T. Hall
1856-1857
6
S. Noel
1857-1858
7
J.T. Moore
1858-1859
8
R. Hedge
1859-1860
9
L. Jones
1860-1861
10
Jester Hedge
1861-1862
11
A.N. Marsh
1862-1863
12
S. Noel
1863-1865
13
W. Lowry
1865-1866
14
S.H. Carson
1866-1869
15
F.M. Smith
1869-1870
16
S.H. Carson
1870-1871
17
M.T. Russell
1871-1873
18
W.M. Patchen
1873-1874
19
Adam Hafner
1874-1876
20
J.S. Davis
1876-1877
21
George Christ
1877-1878
22
J.H. Bryant
1878-1880
23
John Smith
1880-1882
24
A.H. Botkin
1882-1883
25
Adam Hafner
1883-1886
26
A.H. Botkin
1886-1889
27
Alfred Jarvis
1889-1890
28
Sol Stutsman
1890-1892
29
Fred Johnson
1892-1900
30
James W. Jones
1900-1908
31
William P. Hume
1908
32
Ab Day
1908-1909
33
A.G. Miller
1909-1910
34
George Yeager
1910-1916
35
C.C. Jackson
1916-1918
36
M.J. Donoghue
1918-1922
37
Roscoe Daunders
1922
38
John B. Hammond
1922-1924
39
James Cavender
1924-1927
40
Roy J. Chamberlain
1927-1928
41
Henry A. Alber
1928-1939
42
Floyd Hartzer
1939-1940
43
Tom R. Watson
1940-1941
44
Tom Petit
1941-1942
45
Joe Loehr
1942-1943
46
Floyd Hartzer
1943-1944
47
Victor T. Smith
1944-1946
48
Floyd Hartzer *
1946-1947
49
Lorin Miller
1947-1950
50
F.E. Mabee
1950-1952
51
Howard R. Eide
1952-1961
52
Vear V. Douglas
1961-1969
53
Wendell E. Nichols
1969-1979
54
Billie B. Wallace
1979-1984
55
William H. Moulder
1984-2003
56
William M. McCarthy
2003-2007
57
Judy Bradshaw
2007 - October, 2014
58
Dana Wingert
February 10, 2015 - October 16, 2024
59
Michael McTaggart
October 17, 2024 - Current
*: Is labeled as "Assistant chief" on the list, there is no clear indication as to what that specifically means in context.
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