Who Will be the Next Grand Rapids Police Chief? Meet the Candidates at an Upcoming Event
The City of Grand Rapids is getting closer to selecting a new Chief of Police. What kind of person would you like to see in that role? The City is hosting an event soon where the public can meet the police chief candidates.
The Police Chief Candidate Community Forum will be January 19th, 6:30 to 8:30p.m. in the 9th Floor City Commission Chambers in City Hall at 300 Monroe Ave. NW.
The event will be facilitated by the executive search firm hired by the City of Grand Rapids, Public Sector Search & Consulting Inc.
City officials will be announcing the GRPD police chief candidates soon. They say the nationwide recruitment for Grand Rapids’ next police chief began last fall and garnered interest from 35 law enforcement professionals from across the country.
Those candidates will provide brief remarks at the formus and answer questions provided by the community. Do you have a question you'd like answered? You can submit questions by 5:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 17 by calling 311 or 616.456.3000 or online here.
After the forum, a survey will go live and you'll be able to share your thoughts on each finalist through 5 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 26.
City Manager Mark Washington said in a release,
While it is ultimately my responsibility to hire a chief of police, residents will continue to have a voice in the process of selecting our next chief. Public safety and resident engagement is essential for a thriving community, and the next chief will be fundamentally responsible for carrying out the vision articulated in the City’s and department’s strategic plans.
The current Grand Rapids Police Chief, Eric Payne, announced his intent to retire in early 2020 in August.