The Faces of the ALLiance: Michael McClelland

Get to know some of the facilitators behind the scenes of the Grinnell ALLiance and learn about what their work entails.

We interviewed Michael McClelland, Chief of Grinnell Police

Q: Which Grinnell ALLiance working group do you primarily work with?

A: I work with the Connecting Systems group. I think of it as the group that is working on reducing racism in our community.

Q: What types of activities or opportunities does this group provide?

A: Back in 2023, I wrote a community engagement plan in reaction to the racial incidents that had been going on with Grinnell College students. It didn’t take off because we were losing police officers so fast that we couldn’t really do anything. But the Connecting Systems committee has seen the plan and wants to implement it. First, we’ll identify the problem. We know we have a problem with racism, but it’s not highly reported because some students fear the police department. Some are afraid to report things that happen to them. Next, we need to figure out who the stakeholders are. Who do we need to bring to the table to solve this problem? That group is who would come up with solutions to the problem—not just me. Then we’d develop a plan. We might have events—such as the recent Dialogue Across Differences, or Coffee with a Cop, something that gets people to come out to talk with us (police). Then I’d also like to create a chief’s advisory committee, which would meet regularly to talk about issues related to the police and to implement the plan. People have tried to solve this problem before, but we need more than talk, we need action and then data to see whether the problem is solved or improved.

Q: Why is the ALLiance work important to your job?

A: The police department isn’t just me. It’s not just a group of officers. We work for this community. What we do impacts a lot of people. I believe in transparency. I believe in letting people know what we’re doing and why. Nothing could be more important than getting rid of the wall between citizens and the police.

Q: Why do you continue to stay involved with the ALLiance?

A: I’m motivated to solve these problems. I started my community engagement plan with a quote from the local newspaper that reported that Grinnell College students say they are afraid to walk the streets in town. That hits me hard as a police chief. It shouldn’t be the case. People should feel safe when they’re walking here.

Q: What do you appreciate about Grinnell?

A: It’s a very peaceful town. I came from a city of 450,000 with a police department of 700. There was turmoil in the department and in the city. I was involved with the riots that occurred in Denver in 2020. I didn’t like what I saw—on both sides of the line. My wife is from Charles City, I’m from Des Moines, went to East High and graduated from Grandview University. One day I just said to her, “I want to go home.” I saw the job opening, and I applied. We both fell in love with the town right away. We don’t have a crime rate here or the violence that other cities do. We have no regrets. It’s been an awesome experience.

Q: What is one thing that most people don’t know about you?

A: I’m a very introverted person, and sometimes people don’t know how to take that. I like to listen. I’m a laid back, quiet kind of guy.