# Des Moines Police Department (Iowa)

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.

## History

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 19th 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.
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.
Department Arrest Statistics from 1900 to 1970 (* per 1,000 population)
| 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.
* 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.
* 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.

## November 2016 shooting

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. The shooting received national attention as President Barack 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.” The lone suspect, Scott Michael Greene, was quickly identified and apprehended by the Dallas County Sheriff's Office and the Iowa State Patrol the same day.

## 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.
| 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.
| # | 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.