MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa– After 13 years at the Marshalltown Police Department, Chief Michael Tupper has officially resigned.

“It’s bittersweet, it is. I really enjoyed my job,” he said in an interview with WHO 13 News.

Tupper started his career in law enforcement 32 years ago in Ottumwa. However, he said his journey to becoming a police officer was accidental.

“My younger brother was actually interested in a law enforcement career, and I went to college to play football. [I] wasn’t really paying as much attention to my future as I should’ve been. And when I was done with college, I just thought law enforcement sounds interesting,” he said.

Tupper attended Cole College in Cedar Rapids for two years, before going to the University of Dubuque for another two years, and then ultimately finishing his degree in sociology from Buena Vista University.

When deciding on what to study, Tupper said he relied on an aptitude test that indicated he would do well in social work.

“I decided I wasn’t really interested in social work, but oddly, law enforcement is really social work,” he said.

Tupper stayed at Ottumwa for 11 years, becoming a detective and eventually a sergeant. In 2004, he became the Chief of the Nevada Police Department, before coming to Marshalltown.

“[Marshalltown has] embraced me and my family. I’ll tell you, I have worked in three places professionally, and Marshalltown is the only place I really felt at home,” he said.

His decision to come to Marshalltown was based on his experience in Ottumwa.

“Ottumwa is very similar to Marshalltown, and when I was looking for a new career, opportunity, or challenge, I wanted it to be in a diverse location,” he said.

According to the Census, Marshalltown’s population is estimated to be 33% Hispanic, almost 16% of the population with two more more races, and about 5% Asian.

Tupper’s main contribution to Marshalltown was building a strong relationship between his department and the community.

Mayor Pro-Tem, Mike Ladehoff, said, “The difference between two decades ago and now is like between night and day,” during the city council meeting on Monday. He went on to say, “It used to be that we would get calls quite a few times on city council about police conduct, that kind of thing. I don’t get those. None. And I believe that a lot of that is because of what Mike Tupper brought to the police department.”

Tupper evolved MPACT, or the Marshalltown Police and Community Team, in 2020. It is an intervention program that is a collaboration between the Police Department and YSS of Marshall County. MPACT’s Community Advocates are highly trained human service providers and are contacted when a non-emergent and non-criminal police call comes in involving mental illness, family conflict, substance abuse, or emotional/behavioral situations.

The program’s goals were to reduce unnecessary arrests, prevent and deter (re)entry into the criminal justice system, improve call outcomes, and build positive community relationships with the Marshalltown Police Department.

“It’s been a great partnership and collaboration with YSS, and I think we’ve been able to enhance public safety and enhance the services we’re providing,” said Tupper.

Tupper was able a big advocate for raising awareness on labor and sex trafficking.

“We’ve done a lot of training for our police officers as it relates to human trafficking in general. It’s been a priority for us, and not because we think that there’s a particular problem here, but because we know this is an underreported crime and we want to make sure our police officers are ready to respond to these crimes,” said Tupper.

The Marshalltown Police Department worked with L.A.S.T. Watch, a local group dedicated to providing training on labor and sex trafficking, to train officers.

Aside from this, the department also facilitated organizing several community events to strengthen relationships.

During Monday’s council meeting, Mayor Joel Green presented Tupper with a service award for the impact he has made on Marshalltown.

Linn Carol with L.A.S.T. Watch also presented Tupper with an award for the work he has done to make Marshalltown a safer community.

“We have excellent, excellent trainers in our police department and he was been a very significant part of making that happen. So, in recognition of your leadership in the fight against human trafficking, and your tireless efforts in making the community a safer place, we say thank you,” said Carol as she presented a plaque and trophy with a farm animal figurine.

There were also difficult moments Tupper and his officers needed to work through over the course of his 13 years.

“Everything good that the police department has done, it belongs to the police department and the people that I work with every day. I have nothing to do with that. I take full responsibility for the mistakes and things that haven’t always gone well, because as the police chief, I’ve done something wrong that caused that mistake to happen,” said Tupper.

Despite the unexpected awards and praise, Tupper said seeing his community’s support is the biggest honor.

“It feels great. It does. You’re going to make me emotional. I’m not so sure that I’ve done as much for Marshalltown and the police department, as they have done for me,” he said.

Tupper doesn’t have any set plans for retirement, but he knows he won’t be leaving the city.

“My wife probably has a list of things to do at home, and I’m going to focus on that,” he said.

On Friday, the city celebrated his retirement at the police station where he was awarded more plaques for his service.

Tupper said the relationships he has built during the course of his career are what he will cherish the most.

Despite losing a pillar of the department and community, Marshalltown is still in good hands, according to Tupper.

During Monday’s council meeting, the new chief of police, Christopher Jones, was officially sworn into the position by Mayor Greer, who said the meeting was unlike anything he’s ever seen.

“We’ve never had so many people in this room since I started here 14 years ago on the city council. And so, that’s a testament to the position of our outgoing and our incoming police chief,” said the Mayor.

Being sworn in to the position was a powerful moment for Jones.

“I feel that this position is really a transition between Chief Tupper and the other great leadership staff that we have here at the department that will take over after I leave,” he said.

Jones knew he wanted to work in law enforcement since he was very young. He was involved in junior police programs in his hometown of Spencer, Iowa. One of his mentors in Spencer advised him to seek a degree in the field.

As a result, Jones graduated from Iowa State University with a degree in criminal justice 29-years ago. After graduation, he immediately started working at the Marshalltown Police Department, and that’s where he’s stayed for almost three decades.

“Honestly, I think when I started in law enforcement, I saw myself as a career patrol officer, somebody that would be driving the beat, taking care of calls for service,” he said.

However, that wasn’t the case. Jones says his agency provided him with so many opportunities to learn more through specialty assignment and additional training.

“29 years later, you realize that you have put together a resume that was worthy of being selected as chief of police,” said Jones.

Jones said he is excited to continue the work that Tupper began with fostering strong relationships in the community.

“He’s going to be the best police chief Marshalltown has ever had,” said Tupper, “Chris’ biggest strength is his empathy and compassion for other people.”

According to Jones, his first order of business will be to hire more officers.