DES MOINES, Iowa — Since Wednesday's announcement of Des Moines Police Major Michael McTaggart's promotion, the newly named chief has been the talk of the town. But before he clocks in for his first day, Local 5 spoke with community advocates like CEO and founder of Creative Visions, Ako Abdul-Samad, who weighed in on the city's choice.
"I'm actually happy you know, that Major McTaggart was the one you know. That it was someone from Des Moines, you know, and not someone from out of state, you know. And I'm looking forward to building the same relationship with him as I had with the former chief," Abdul-Samad said.
However, not everyone was celebrating the selection of a native Iowan as the new chief. The Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement released a statement saying in part:
...The community explicitly stated they wanted an external candidate selected in hopes of a new and fresh beginning after years of lawsuits, unjust arrests, and a toxic police culture including sexual discrimination.
Though Abdul-Samad is excited to connect and work with McTaggart, he believes there were other candidates that would excel as chief that didn't make it to the final round.
"I was totally shocked that Major Parker, you know, was not included. I know she was in the top eight, you know, but that it didn't boil down, you know. That was disappointing to me," Abdul-Samad told Local 5.
Chaplin Al Perez worked alongside McTaggart on several different projects through the years, saying he's already in talks with the soon-to-be chief on opportunities for further community collaborations.
"Great leader, great temperament, just one of the best guys you can probably get to meet. He has always been pleasant, and he's always worked with our communities," Perez said.
President and CEO of the Oakridge Neighborhood Association, Deidre DeJear, shared her hopes for the next chief.
"I'm looking forward to a strong thriving relationship with our next police chief to ensure that we're creating pathways for our community members to thrive," DeJear said.
McTaggart's first day as chief will be Oct. 28. The city says he's already making plans to meet with the public prior to his start date.