A New Era of Leadership is Underway at the Mason City Police Department.

Mike McKelvey has officially stepped into the role of police chief, taking charge at a time when the department is undergoing a significant transition. With a wave of retirements in recent years, McKelvey says MCPD is now made up of a notably younger group of officers—bringing both challenges and opportunities.

“We’ve had a lot of retirements over the last few years. We have a very young department now, so there’s a lot of training and development there that we’ll be doing here in the future,” McKelvey said.

Despite the need for continued training, McKelvey sees an advantage in the department’s youth. He believes younger officers’ familiarity with modern technology could strengthen investigative efforts and day-to-day policing.

“The younger folks grew up with that. There are a lot more knowledgeable positions and some of that stuff,” he said.

Advancements in technology—particularly in areas like DNA analysis—could also play a role in solving long-standing cases, including the abduction of Mason City news anchor Jodi Huisentruit.

“When you look at some of the crimes that have been solved from advances in DNA, that’s a positive because that technology is always improving, too,” McKelvey added.

Alongside McKelvey, Captain Logan Wernet emphasized the importance of harnessing the energy and potential of newer officers as the department moves forward. He said a focus on mentorship, retention, and recruitment will be key priorities.

“Within the next few years we’re going to work on succession training for younger officers. We’re going to work on retention for the officers we do have here, and we’re going to be aggressive with replacing officers that have retired,” Wernet said.

The leadership transition also includes several new roles within the department. Seth McChesney was sworn in as lieutenant, and Brandon Van Horn took the oath as sergeant.

With new leadership in place and a younger force taking shape, MCPD officials say they are focused on building a department prepared for the future.