GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The day after their son died, fatally shot by a Grand Rapids police officer during an April 2022 traffic stop, the family of Patrick Lyoya cried and prayed in Grand Rapids Police Chief Eric Winstrom's office.
At the time, Winstrom had been the city's top cop for less than a month.
"That was a tough day," Winstrom said. "I don't know that it's gotten any easier for them."
Eight days later, Winstrom released body and dash camera video from the incident, which showed Lyoya, a 26-year-old black man, and GRPD Officer Christopher Schurr struggling over Schurr's taser.
Schurr was later fired from the department after he was charged with second-degree murder in the shooting, which he claimed he did in self-defense.
"It pretty much defines my entire time here," Winstrom said about Lyoya's death.
Less than a week after a mistrial was declared in Schurr's criminal trial, Winstrom spoke to FOX 17 about how GRPD policy has changed since the deadly traffic stop.
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As Grand Rapids' new police chief, Winstrom presented his departmental review and recommended policy changes in July 2022, including a rewrite of GRPD's use of force policy.
The department's highest priority in such situations, he said, was the "sanctity of human life."
"Department members will act with the foremost regard for the preservation of human life and the safety of all persons involved," the policy currently reads.
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Winstrom also added additional language on de-escalation.
"We interact with individuals who are sometimes having their worst day," he said during an interview with FOX 17 on Monday. "They might be at really rock bottom, but they still have their dignity and they still have their self respect."
"If you interact with them in such a way to remove that dignity or to remove that self-respect, they're going to fight you for it," he said. "It could be the biggest fight of your life.”
As part of their de-escalation training, the chief says GRPD officers are taught to consider their voice as their "strongest tool" and also participate in simulations where their success is dependent upon their ability to deescalate the situation.
Officers-in-training also now learn how to self-regulate their emotions, according to Winstrom.
"It's difficult to come to terms with the fact that I have to act like a statue when someone's confronting me," he said. "But if they're not actually going to hurt you, our officers are trained to self-regulate and not react."
GRPD also more recently added jiu-jitsu training as a means for officers to more safely apply force to suspects and make an arrest.
READ MORE: GRPD incorporates jiu-jitsu training to better use-of-force encounters
"We really changed the whole culture of the police department," Winstrom said about his departmental review.
While no single incident prompted a specific policy change, the chief says the death of Lyoya added an "exclamation point" to the presentation.
"The whole city [said], 'If there are things that GRPD needs to do better, that needs to happen now,'" Winstrom said.
In addition to training and policy, GRPD made changes to its hiring process, increased its media availability and "civilianized" a number of departmental roles.
A mental health co-response team, now complete with three full-time social workers, is now "part of the culture."
"So much has gone on in the past three years," Winstrom said.
READ MORE: GRPD officer, social worker share successes of pilot program
The police chief said he could not comment on whether these changes, if implemented sooner, could have prevented Lyoya's death, given pending litigation related to the shooting.
In addition to Christopher Schurr's second-degree murder charge, the former GRPD officer is currently being sued by Patrick Lyoya's family in civil court.
Winstrom also said he could not comment on whether he agreed with the testimonies of two GRPD captains who claimed Schurr acted in accordance with his training, given the investigation is under the jurisdiction of Michigan State Police, rather than GRPD.
"Until this case is completed, we actually won't have all of the complete information," he said. "If I was called to be a witness, I would do my due diligence and speak with either the prosecutor or defense, review the evidence."
"But I haven't been subpoenaed in the case at all," he said. "So, at this time, I'm unable to provide a direct answer."
READ MORE:U.S. Supreme Court denies appeal from Schurr's legal team in civil case
Winstrom did comment on trust, though.
"Since the day of this incident, April 4, 2022, it's highlighted how important building trust is," Schurr said. "There's no magic wand to build trust. It's day in, day out. Do the right thing over and over and over and over."
"I guess I'd say it's a journey and not a destination," he said. "We're just going to keep that journey going forward."
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For FOX 17's previous coverage of the trial of Christopher Schurr and the death of Patrick Lyoya, click here.