Oversight & Public Accountability

The Office of Oversight and Public Accountability (OPA) was established in 2019  by City Manager, Mark Washington, to serve as an independent liaison between the community and the City of Grand Rapids’ public safety departments. Our mission is simple yet powerful: to create and improve just outcomes and respectful relationships between public safety and the community through transparency, accountability, restorative justice, empowerment, and engagement. 

OPA was born out of a community-driven call for greater accountability and transparency in policing and fire services. OPA is more than an oversight office; it is a commitment to justice, equity, and trust. Guided by our core values—Transparency, Responsibility, Unity, Equity, and Justice (T.R.U.E. Justice)—we work every day to ensure that all people in Grand Rapids feel safe and are safe at all times.  

We strive to: 

• Increase transparency and accountability in public safety operations.
• Embed equity into policies and practices to eliminate systemic disparities.
• Foster trust and healing through restorative justice initiatives.
• Empower and engage residents by elevating community voice in public safety decisions. 

Through innovative programs like Operation Fresh Start, Civil Rights Youth Academy, Know Your Rights, and Community Informed Training, we partner with residents, public safety professionals, and stakeholders to reimagine policing and build bridges to trust. 

Our vision is bold: Grand Rapids will be nationally recognized as a place where public safety and justice systems deliver fair outcomes and maintain healed relationships with the community.