GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Police Chief Eric Winstrom accepted a new job in Pensacola, Florida. On Friday, he and Grand Rapids City Manager Mark Washington addressed how the city will handle the transition.
Winstrom will start his new role as police chief in Pensacola as early as March 2.
WATCH: Police Chief and City Manager speak on coming transition for Grand Rapids Police Department
“I'm not running away from Grand Rapids. I am running to Pensacola,” Chief Eric Winstrom said on Tuesday.
Grand Rapids
Grand Rapids Police Chief Eric Winstrom takes new job leading Florida department
Grand Rapids leaders are working to identify an interim chief while beginning the process to hire a permanent replacement. The last time the city searched for a police chief, the process took roughly eight months.
Timeline: Grand Rapids' Last Police Chief Search
August 2021: Former Chief Eric Payne announced his retirement after two years on the job.
September 2021: Grand Rapids started looking for a new chief by hiring Public Sector Search & Consulting at a cost of $32,000. The California-based firm presented 35 law enforcement professionals from across the country to the city.
October 2021: The city sought neighbors' input on their ideal candidate.
January 2022: The city announced three finalists, with public interviews scheduled for weeks later. None of the candidates was internal.
March 2022: Winstrom was sworn in as chief.
It's unclear whom the city plans to tap as its interim chief. The department does have two deputy chiefs, both of whom have spent more than two decades with GRPD.
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