Four candidates, two lawsuits, one city looking for its next police chief

Grand Rapids residents got their first look Wednesday at the four finalists vying to lead the city's police department. But behind the public forum at City Hall, two of the candidates are already entangled in discrimination lawsuits that could shape how the community views them.

City Manager Mark Washington plans to name a new police chief by the end of June. The position opened when former Chief Eric Winstrom resigned in March to become police chief in Pensacola, Florida.

"I'm looking for that person, number one, who loves justice, who is passionate about making sure that public safety is not solely a law enforcement response, but law enforcement collaborating with the community," Washington said, according to MLive/Grand Rapids Press.

The four finalists

The four candidates announced on June 11 are:

  • Joseph Trigg, Grand Rapids interim police chief and a 25-year veteran of the department
  • Mark Bliss, deputy chief with the Detroit Police Department for more than 25 years
  • Rafael Diaz, captain with the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety and a licensed Michigan attorney
  • Eve Stephens, former police chief for the University of Texas at Austin and retired commander from the Austin Police Department

Around 50 residents attended the meet-and-greet and public forum at Grand Rapids City Hall on June 17. The event was moderated by Gary Peterson, president and CEO of Public Sector Search & Consulting Inc. Questions came from an online survey submitted by the community.

Lawsuits shadow two candidates

Two of the four finalists are named in active or recent discrimination lawsuits, according to court documents reported by 13 On Your Side.

Mark Bliss was named in a racial discrimination lawsuit filed by former Detroit officer Johnny Strickland. According to court documents, Strickland alleged that Bliss failed to report an incident in which Strickland, a Black officer, was handcuffed by fellow officers while responding to a call involving an explosive device. The court filings state that Bliss told Strickland there would be consequences if he spoke about the incident.

Strickland sued the city of Detroit and several officers, including Bliss, alleging a hostile work environment and retaliation. The case was initially dismissed, but an appeals court ruled in Strickland's favor, according to the report.

Bliss denied the allegation at Wednesday's forum.

"I'm telling the community right now, it didn't happen," Bliss said. "That's a false allegation. Anybody has a right to make an allegation. The difference is this case could happen, it is true, and I can tell you, it never happened that way."

Eve Stephens is currently suing the University of Texas System and the University of Texas at Austin for alleged discrimination. The lawsuit claims Stephens was fired without cause 14 months into her role as the university's police chief, just weeks after receiving a positive performance review and a merit raise. She is the first Asian American woman to have held that position.

According to the lawsuit, Stephens was notified of her termination during a Zoom meeting and given three options: accept the termination, resign, or accept a temporary role at the university. She chose the temporary position. The UT System has filed a motion to dismiss, arguing it improperly named as a defendant. The lawsuit remains ongoing.

Stephens said she feels confident about the culture at the Grand Rapids Police Department.

"I've met a lot of fantastic people here," Stephens said. "I've seen a lot of good things. I've also done a lot of good research on the history of the city, the history of the police department, and I feel confident that this is going to be a good alignment."

Community asks for accountability

Residents brought pointed questions to the forum. Yolanda Wilson, 59, told Trigg she wants the next chief to hold officers accountable for excessive force during minor traffic stops on the city's southeast side.

"I want them to police the police," Wilson said. "I want them to say, no, this is not right. You don't need to use this excessive force for a tint on a window."

Lucas Johnson, 19, said he attended because of rising youth violence in the city.

"I'm seeing stories about kids who are like 14, 15, even as young as 13," Johnson said. "It's like, what's going on?"

The candidates were also asked about Grand Rapids' 13 officer-involved shootings since 2022. All four emphasized de-escalation and transparency.

Trigg said the department reviews every shooting to determine if a better resolution was possible, even when the use of force is justified. Diaz said the goal is always to diffuse and avoid violent encounters when possible. Stephens advocated for a transparent discipline matrix and quick release of body camera footage. Bliss said he would audit all department funds and operations if hired.

"Because I'm walking into a new department, I'm going to audit everything," Bliss said. "I want to know how many guns we have. I want to know what's in each of our funds. I want to know who we're paying, who we're not paying, and I want to see it all on paper."

What happens next

The candidates met with neighborhood association leaders, faith-based organizations, business leaders, and law enforcement members earlier Wednesday. They also took a two-hour bus tour of Grand Rapids, according to Washington.

Washington will conduct formal interviews with the four finalists on Thursday. He expects to select the new police chief by the end of the month, taking into account feedback from residents and stakeholders throughout the week's engagement events.

The full public forum was livestreamed and is available on the city of Grand Rapids YouTube page.