PENSACOLA, Fla. — Grand Rapids Police Chief Eric Winstrom has been with the city for just under four years, but his tenure might be coming to a close if another city offers him a new role.
On Tuesday, Mayor D.C. Reeves in Pensacola, Fla., announced three finalists for his city's open chief of police position, including Winstrom.
The other finalists are Brian Dugan, the retired chief of police for Tampa, Fla., and Erik Goss, the current acting deputy police chief in Pensacola.
All three are set to take part in a public forum on January 13, according to Mayor Reeves. A round of formal interviews will be held with the city council on January 14.
Winstrom started as Grand Rapids' police chief in March, 2022. He previously spent more than 20 years with the Chicago Police Department.
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Based in the far west of Florida's panhandle, the city sits on the Gulf Coast, near Mobile, Alabama. It has an estimated population of just under 54,000 people, according to the U.S. Census. Grand Rapids is estimated to have more than 200,000 residents.
In a statement to FOX 17, Winstrom did not say why he applied for the position, but committed to continue his work as Grand Rapids police chief through the hiring process in Pensacola.
I am asking for your patience with me over the next three weeks as I try to make the best decisions for my family and me.
Aside from my quick trip in January, I will be as engaged here as ever. While the outcome of this process is still to be determined, I remain fully committed to ensuring the City of Grand Rapids is a community where people feel safe and are safe at all times.
We have lots of work over the next few weeks to get the budget ready, to honor our officers, make sure our staffing continues to rise, and to give the city the best leadership that I’m capable of.
Grand Rapids City Manager Mark Washington also issued a statement, saying he isn't surprised Winstrom is in the running for another job.
"Given the significant progress he has led within the Grand Rapids Police Department - specifically in advancing constitutional policing, enhancing transparency, and centering the department’s commitment to serve all residents - it is certainly not surprising that other communities would seek out his leadership and expertise," said Washington.
It is not clear how or when the City of Pensacola will decide on which candidate it prefers for its next police chief.
When I appointed Chief Winstrom nearly four years ago, I did so with the full knowledge that he was a highly qualified, top-tier professional in the field of public safety. While he hadn’t served as a Chief of Police, his potential was evident.
Given the significant progress he has led within the Grand Rapids Police Department - specifically in advancing constitutional policing, enhancing transparency, and centering the department’s commitment to serve all residents - it is certainly not surprising that other communities would seek out his leadership and expertise.
While we can’t make any assumptions about the Chief’s future, I have every confidence that he will continue to prioritize the safety and well-being of the Grand Rapids community regardless of the outcome of this process. He remains fully engaged in our shared mission to ensure all people feel safe and are safe at all times.
As a City, one of our core objectives is to attract, hire, develop, and retain high-performing employees. While I certainly do not want to see the Chief leave our organization, we remain steadfast in our commitment to support the professional growth and career development of every member of our 2,700-person workforce. We take pride in cultivating leaders who are recognized nationally for their capabilities.
Regardless of the outcome, our focus will remain on the implementation of our strategic priorities and the continued delivery of excellent, equitable public service to our community.
You can watch the full announcement from Pensacola's mayor below
