Chief Michael “Mac” McClelland was appointed Grinnell Police Chief in January 2021. He is an Iowa native, born in Des Moines, Iowa, where he graduated from East High School in 1986. After high school, he enlisted in the United States Army, serving in the Military Police Corps. In 1990, he returned to Iowa, joining the Iowa Army National Guard, and was quickly deployed to support combat operations for Operation Desert Storm.   He continued his military service as a commissioned officer in the Iowa and Colorado Army National Guard, with additional deployments in 2003-2004 for Operation Iraqi Freedom and again in 2010-2011 to Afghanistan for Operation Enduring Freedom. Chief Mac retired from military service in 2012 at the rank of Major.

After graduating college in 1996, Chief Mac took a position with the Aurora Police Department in Aurora, Colorado, where he served for 24 years in numerous positions and duties: Patrol, Field Training Officer, Traffic, Patrol Sergeant, Police Area Representative/ Foot Patrol Sergeant, Traffic Investigations Sergeant, Lieutenant/Watch Commander, Traffic Section Commander, Honor Guard Commander, Awards Board Chairman, Training Academy Commander, Investigative Support Section Commander and Force Review Board member. 

Chief Mac holds a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from Grandview University, a Master’s in Public Safety from the University of Virginia, and is a graduate of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (F.B.I.) National Academy, Class 285.  

Chief McClelland has been married to his wife Mindy, an Iowa native from Charles City, Iowa, since 1997, and they have three children.