Isaiah “Ike” McKinnon, former chief of police and deputy mayor of Detroit, joined the Hauenstein Center for a virtual discussion on January 21, 2021 as part of an annual celebration of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration Week at Grand Valley State University. The event was in partnership with the Hauenstein Center for Presidential Studies at Grand Valley State University, Grand Valley’s Division of Inclusion and Equity, as well as the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation and the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library and Museum.
In the wake of the police killing of George Floyd last May, outcry and demonstrations sprang up in cities throughout the United States. Debates ensued not just over the techniques police use to subdue suspects, but also the role of police in our communities. During the debates, one man’s story of creating lasting change rose to national prominence. Isaiah McKinnon, former chief of police and deputy mayor of Detroit, exemplifies a life dedicated to creating the change you want to see in the world. As a young police officer, he experienced racism firsthand, and as a public servant he rose to positions of authority in which he could do something about it.
Isaiah McKinnon noted at the beginning of his remarks that his opinion piece “George Floyd Could Have Been Me”, which appeared in dozens of newspapers throughout America and the world, was part of his lifelong reflection that began when he himself was beaten by police officers as a 14 year-old in Detroit, Michigan. His lecture on “Policing from the Inside” was in part a reference to what made him the way he was, and what he had done with his life.
About Chief Isaiah McKinnon
Isaiah McKinnon began his five decade career in public service as an officer with the Detroit Police Department in 1965. He held more than ten different positions in the department including patrol operations and various supervisory, administrative, command, and executive roles, before retiring as an Inspector to start his own security firm.
In 1993, McKinnon returned to the Detroit Police Department to serve as Chief. Under his five years of leadership, hundreds of police officers were directed to go into city neighborhoods and introduce themselves to residents in an effort to bridge the gap between law enforcement and the community. In addition to shifting the focus of the department to community-driven policing, he advocated for and implemented training programs for officers responding to domestic violence. In 1998, he left policing and became a professor at the University of Detroit Mercy.
In 2014, McKinnon was appointed Deputy Mayor of Detroit by Mayor Dennis Archer and served in his administration for two years before returning to teach as a professor of education at the University of Detroit Mercy. McKinnon has appeared on the Today Show, Good Morning America, Oprah, and The History Channel. He holds a B.A. and a M.A. from the University of Detroit Mercy College, and a Ph.D. from Michigan State University. He is also a graduate of the F.B.I. National Academy and the U.S. Secret Service School.
Video and content courtesy of GVSU Hauenstein Center for Presidential Studies
