Posted: 2/5/2026 4:36:08 PM EDT
| Your Chief just got hired down here in NW Florida, curious as to your opinion of him, how he did his job, if he improved the Police Department in Grand Rapids. |
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From my view point, I think he did a great job. I heard from friends in law enforcement that he was well respected. He also demonstrated professionalism when there was an officer involved shooting in 2022 resulting in the death of death of Patrick Lyoya. It was a hung jury with only one person on the jury voting to convict, the reset...not guilty. The prosecutor decided not to retry the case. I was surprised, as were many that Chief Winstrom was leaving Grand Rapids (2nd Largest city in Michigan with about 300 sworn officers) after about four years. He came to GR from Chicago PD where he was upper management. Most Chiefs usually look for bigger departments to go to, not smaller ones. I watched most of Winstrom's departing press conference and again, he was extremely professional with his words, but the takeaway was the "leadership" of the elected city officials and others do not support the police department and made his job unbearable. They did not like the demonstrated success he brought to the department. There is a mini series involving the GRPD, and it made the department look good and the city "leadership" did not like that, which is absolutely crazy. I feel Pensacola wins and Grand Rapids loses on this one. |