Isaiah McKinnon facts for kids
Isaiah "Ike" McKinnon (born June 21, 1943) is an American former police officer. He worked for the Detroit Police Department for many years, first as an officer from 1965 to 1984, and later as the Chief of Police from 1993 to 1998. He was one of the first African American officers in the Detroit police force. McKinnon also served as the deputy mayor of Detroit from 2013 to 2016 and was a professor at University of Detroit Mercy. In 1967, while he was a police officer, McKinnon faced a dangerous situation involving other officers, which became known around the world.
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Early Life and Education
Isaiah McKinnon was born on June 21, 1943, in Montgomery, Alabama. His father, Cota, was a carpenter and played baseball in the Negro leagues. His mother, Lula, was a housewife.
When McKinnon was 14 years old in 1957, he was treated unfairly by police officers on his way home from school. This experience made him decide to join the police force. He wanted to help change the system from the inside.
McKinnon served in the United States Air Force from 1961 to 1965. He spent three years at Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota. For his last year in the military, he served overseas in the Philippines and Vietnam.
McKinnon studied a lot to prepare for his career. He earned a doctorate degree in education from Michigan State University. He also received a master's degree in criminal justice from Mercy College of Detroit. Earlier, he earned a bachelor's degree in history and law enforcement from the University of Detroit.
Career Highlights
Serving in the Police Force
McKinnon joined the Detroit police department in 1965. He worked there until 1984. Later, he returned to lead the force as the chief of police from 1993 to 1998.
During his time as an officer, McKinnon often faced unfair treatment from some of his white colleagues. Despite this, he became a "poster officer" for recruiting more minority individuals into the police force. His picture was used on recruiting posters to encourage diversity.
McKinnon also started important programs within the police department. He helped teach officers basic Spanish so they could communicate better with Hispanic Americans. He also helped set up a program to buy back guns from the community, aiming to make the city safer.
During the 1967 Detroit riot, there was a lot of tension between different groups in Detroit. One night, while McKinnon was driving home after a long shift, he was stopped by other police officers. Even though he was in his uniform and identified himself as an officer, one of the officers shot at him, but missed. McKinnon quickly drove away to safety. He reported what happened, but no action was taken against the officers involved.
As chief of police, McKinnon led the investigation into a major incident. This was the 1994 Cobo Arena attack involving the figure skater Nancy Kerrigan.
Role as Deputy Mayor
In 2013, Detroit mayor Mike Duggan chose McKinnon to be the deputy mayor. In this role, McKinnon helped the mayor with programs that involved faith-based groups in the community. He also supported the placement of the Homeless Jesus statue outside Detroit's Saints Peter and Paul Church.
Teaching in Academia
McKinnon was an associate professor of Education at University of Detroit Mercy. He took a break from teaching for two years when he served as deputy mayor. He retired from his teaching position before September 2020.
Security Work
McKinnon also worked as part of the security team for Detroit mayor Jerome Cavanagh.
Personal Life
McKinnon was raised as a Baptist. After marrying his wife, he converted to Catholicism.
