City invites the public to June 17 community engagement events in police chief selection process
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The City of Grand Rapids is moving into the next phase of its search for a new chief of police, announcing two community engagement events scheduled for Wednesday, June 17. The “Community Meet & Greet” and “Public Forum” events reflect the City’s continued commitment to transparency, public engagement and open communication throughout the selection process. The two evening public events will support broad community participation, giving community members an opportunity to meet the finalists and share feedback as part of the selection process.
June 17 Community Engagement Events
Location: City Hall, 300 Monroe Ave. NW
- 5:45 p.m. – Community Meet & Greet (Calder Plaza Level)
- 7 p.m. – Public Forum (Commission Chambers – 9th Floor)
The 7 p.m. Public Forum will air on Comcast Channel 26 and stream live on the City of Grand Rapids Facebook and YouTube channels.
Community members are invited to help shape the forum by submitting topics and questions through an online survey available now through 5 p.m. Monday, June 15 at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Community-Questions.
City Manager Mark Washington said these events are designed to ensure residents can hear directly from the candidates and contribute their perspectives before he makes a final decision on the hire.
“Community input is an important part of this process,” Washington said. “These events will allow stakeholders to learn more about the finalists, hear directly from them and share their feedback on who can help the Grand Rapids Police Department and the City of Grand Rapids reach public safety goals.”
The job posting opened on May 8 and will close on June 5.
Washington will take the results of interviews, feedback, and background checks into account before making his final decision.
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