Four finalists named in search for Grand Rapids’ next police chief

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – City Manager Mark Washington today announced four finalists in the search for Grand Rapids’ next chief of police: Mark Bliss, Rafael Diaz, Eve Stephens and Joseph Trigg.

As part of the next phase of the selection process, the City invites community members to participate in two engagement events on Wednesday, June 17, at City Hall, 300 Monroe Ave. NW. The events support the City’s commitment to transparency, public input and open communication.

June 17 Community Engagement Events

Location: City Hall, 300 Monroe Ave. NW

• 5:45 p.m. — Community meet-and-greet (Calder Plaza level)
• 7 p.m. — Public forum (Commission Chambers, 9th floor)

The 7 p.m. public forum will air on Xfinity Channel 26 and stream live on the City of Grand Rapids Facebook and YouTube channels. Community members may submit topics and questions in advance through an online survey available through 5 p.m. Monday, June 15, at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Community-Questions.

Spanish interpretation services will be provided.

Washington emphasized the importance of community participation in the selection process.

“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.”

About the finalists

Mark Bliss — Detroit Police Department

Mark Bliss is a deputy chief with the Detroit Police Department and brings more than 25 years of law enforcement experience in a major urban agency serving an estimated population of 649,095 with more than 2,500 officers across about 139 square miles. He currently leads the Crime Strategies Bureau, overseeing crime strategies, deployment plans, the 911 call center, dispatch, the Real Time Crime Center, counterterrorism threat analysis, technical support and the Detroit Detention Center.

Bliss has held senior leadership roles in professional development, support services, field support, professional standards, training, internal affairs, detention, fleet, facilities, grants, policy development, labor relations, budgeting, technology and ARPA funding. He holds a Master of Science in criminal justice with a forensic science concentration from Michigan State University and a Bachelor of Science in biology from John Carroll University. He is also a graduate of the PERF Senior Management Institute for Police, FBI National Academy, Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police Executive/New Chiefs School, Davenport University Leadership Institute and Eastern Michigan University Leadership Development Program.

Rafael Diaz — Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety

Rafael Diaz is a police captain with the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety and a licensed Michigan attorney with more than 27 years of public safety experience. He has served in a multi‑discipline public safety agency with about 250 sworn and 29 non-sworn personnel, with experience spanning police, fire, EMS, legal counsel, investigations, professional standards, training, accreditation, recruiting, hostage negotiation, mental health crisis response and military legal service.

Diaz’s major assignments include captain of professional standards, captain of the Criminal Investigation Division, captain of the Kalamazoo Valley Enforcement Team, executive lieutenant of training, lieutenant and sergeant in operations, and public safety officer. He also served as a captain/judge advocate in the Michigan Army National Guard, including service as command judge advocate in Jordan, where he advised on administrative law, military justice, international law and contracts totaling nearly $65 million. He holds a Juris Doctor from Thomas M. Cooley Law School and a Bachelor of Arts from Hope College, and is licensed as a Michigan attorney, medical first responder, firefighter and police officer.

Eve Stephens — University of Texas at Austin / Austin Police Department

Eve Stephens is the former chief of police for the University of Texas at Austin and a retired commander from the Austin Police Department, with more than 25 years of law enforcement experience and 11 years of executive, command and supervisory experience. Her leadership background includes service in a major city agency and a large university public safety environment, including oversight of 100 sworn officers and 50 professional staff at UT Austin and prior command experience in an Austin Police Department authorized at 1,812 sworn officers and more than 600 civilian personnel.

Stephens’ major assignments include chief of police at UT Austin, commander of Austin PD’s North Central Patrol Bureau, lieutenant at the Training Academy, executive lieutenant over staffing, sergeant in organized crime and patrol, detective in child abuse, internal affairs and financial crimes, and patrol officer. Her work emphasizes community trust, procedural justice, evidence‑based policing, officer wellness, recruiting, leadership development and organizational reform. She holds a Master of Public Safety from the University of Virginia and a Bachelor of Arts in criminal justice with a minor in Spanish from Sam Houston State University, summa cum laude. Her executive training includes the FBI National Academy, NIJ LEADS Scholars Program, IACP Women’s Leadership Institute, All‑Hazards Incident Commander training, and TCOLE Master Peace Officer and Mental Health Officer certifications.

Joseph A. Trigg — Grand Rapids Police Department

Joseph A. Trigg is interim police chief and deputy police chief of the Grand Rapids Police Department, bringing more than 25 years of law enforcement experience in Grand Rapids, along with earlier juvenile detention experience. Grand Rapids has an estimated population of 201,183, and the department is staff with about 440 employees, including about 300 sworn and 140 professional staff. As interim chief, Trigg manages department operations, command staff, personnel matters, community engagement, labor relations, internal professional relationships and City Commission communications.

Trigg’s major assignments include interim police chief, deputy police chief over field operations, police captain of the South Service Area, police lieutenant in internal affairs and watch command, police sergeant in patrol, acting patrol sergeant, police officer in community policing, patrol and enforcement roles, and acting supervisor and youth specialist with the Ottawa County Juvenile Detention Center. He has been active in community outreach with organizations including the Boys & Girls Clubs, Hispanic Center of Western Michigan, Baxter Neighborhood Association, LifeQuest Urban Outreach and other local partners. His education includes the Lansing Community College Police Academy, criminal justice and juvenile justice coursework at Grand Valley State University, and an Associate of General Studies from Grand Rapids Community College. He has also participated in the GRPD Leadership Institute, Peer Support Team, Field Training Officer program, Board of Awards and Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police.

The job posting for the City’s next police chief opened May 8 and closed June 5. Washington will consider interviews, community feedback and background checks before making a final decision.

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