Grand Rapids Police Department

Grand Rapids Police Department
Abbreviation GRPD
Motto "Professional, Progressive, and Responsive"
Agency overview
Formed 1871
Jurisdictional structure
Operations jurisdiction Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States
Map of the Grand Rapids Police Department's jurisdiction.
Headquarters 1 Monroe Center NW
Grand Rapids MI

Officers 294[1]
Unsworn members 104[1]
Agency executive
  • David M. Rahinsky[2], Chief of Police
Website
http://grcity.us/police-department/Pages/default.aspx

The Grand Rapids Police Department is the second-largest municipal police department in the state of Michigan.[2] The department is staffed by 294 sworn personnel and 104 civilian employees.[1] In 2016, the department responded to 63,422[1] calls for service in a city of over 196,000.[3]

History

Establishment

The Grand Rapids Police Department was established in 1871.[2] Prior to this, the city was protected by five constables and two night watchmen employed by local merchants and reportedly "addicted to drunkenness and laziness."[4] After a local newspaper published a series of articles on incompetence and dishonesty in the city's private police force, the city charter was amended and a municipal police department consisting of a police chief and eight patrolmen was created.[4]

Headquarters Locations

To date, the GRPD headquarters has been in four different buildings; none of the previous sites remain standing today.[5] The first police headquarters consisted of a two-room office suite located over a grocer at 101 Monroe Avenue in downtown Grand Rapids.[6] In 1882, the department moved to the intersection of Lyon and Campau.[5] In 1892, a new headquarters was built at the intersection of Crescent and Ottowa designed by notable Detroit-based architect Elijah E. Meyers.[5] This location was expanded in 1915 and occupied for over 70 years before being demolished.[5][7] In 1967, the department moved to the newly built Hall of Justice, located on the site of the present-day DeVos Place convention center on Monroe Avenue.[8] In 2001, the department moved into the current headquarters, a renovated Herpolsheimer's department store located at 1 Monroe Center NW.[5][8]

Fallen Officers

A total of fifteen GRPD officers have been killed since the department's first recorded death in 1895.[9] Fourteen of those officers died on-duty, while one was killed off-duty attempting to rescue an electrocution victim.[9] Of those killed on-duty, eight were killed by gunfire and six were killed in traffic accidents.[9]

Equipment

Patrol Vehicles

The GRPD utilizes the Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor (CVPI) and Ford Police Interceptor Utility SUV as its primary marked patrol vehicles. The department began replacing its aging fleet of 80 Crown Victorias in 2013, when the Ford Motor Company announced that it would no longer be producing the model.[10] The department announced that it would phase in the Police Interceptor Utility over four years as existing vehicles reached the end of their service life.[11]

The department also utilizes a number of other platforms for specialized patrol functions, including bicycles,[12] segways,[13] and horses.[14]

Firearms

The GRPD issues the 9mm Glock 17 as its primary service weapon. The department chose the Glock in 2014 as a replacement for the previously issued .40 caliber Sig Sauer P229 pistol.[15]

In 2015, the department began deploying Colt M4 semi-automatic rifles in marked patrol vehicles to supplement the shotguns that were already carried.[16]

Less-Lethal

GRPD officers carry a number of less-lethal options, including pepper spray, collapsible batons, and tasers.[17]

Body Cameras

All GRPD uniformed patrol officers wear Axon 2 body cameras.[18]

Films

  • The GRPD is featured briefly in the 2011 film "30 Minutes or Less" during a car chase.[19] The film uses "fake" patrol vehicles and the livery is not entirely accurate; while actual GRPD marked patrol vehicles are solid blue, the vehicles depicted in the film are black and white.[20]
  • The GRPD is featured at various points in the 2011 film "House of the Rising Sun."

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Grand Rapids Police Department 2016 Annual Report" (PDF). July 25, 2017.
  2. 1 2 3 "Police Department". grcity.us. Retrieved 2018-01-22.
  3. ↑ "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Grand Rapids city, Michigan". www.census.gov. Retrieved 2018-01-26.
  4. 1 2 www.grcmc.org, Grand Rapids Community Media Center -. "Early Policemen". History Grand Rapids. Retrieved 2018-01-23.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 www.grcmc.org, Grand Rapids Community Media Center - (2008-01-28). "Booked and Fingerprinted at the Grand Rapids Jail". History Grand Rapids. Retrieved 2018-01-23.
  6. ↑ www.grcmc.org, Grand Rapids Community Media Center -. "Grand Rapids Police Dept., 1875". History Grand Rapids. Retrieved 2018-01-22.
  7. ↑ www.grcmc.org, Grand Rapids Community Media Center -. "Demolition of Police Headquarters". History Grand Rapids. Retrieved 2018-01-23.
  8. 1 2 "Before DeVos Place: Downtown Grand Rapids riverfront site has diverse, complex history". MLive.com. Retrieved 2018-03-17.
  9. 1 2 3 "Fallen Officers". grcity.us. Retrieved 2018-01-22.
  10. ↑ "See the first new Grand Rapids police patrol SUV before it hits the road". MLive.com. Retrieved 2018-01-22.
  11. ↑ "See the first new Grand Rapids police patrol SUV before it hits the road". MLive.com. Retrieved 2018-01-22.
  12. ↑ "Grand Rapids Police bike patrol: Cruising downtown on 2 wheels". MLive.com. Retrieved 2018-01-22.
  13. ↑ "GRPD unveils new Segways". Fox17. 2015-08-21. Retrieved 2018-01-22.
  14. ↑ "Grand Rapids police to patrol on horseback". MLive.com. Retrieved 2018-01-22.
  15. ↑ "Grand Rapids police going to Glock 9mm, trading in .40 caliber guns". MLive.com. Retrieved 2018-01-22.
  16. ↑ "Semi-automatic rifles for 59 Grand Rapids patrol cars in city budget". MLive.com. Retrieved 2018-01-22.
  17. ↑ "Use of force training: Loud parties and dummies that won't listen". WOODTV.com. 2015-06-08. Retrieved 2018-01-22.
  18. ↑ "More body cams sought in Grand Rapids, along with 100 extra Tasers". MLive.com. Retrieved 2018-01-22.
  19. ↑ "Grand Rapids and '30 Minutes or Less': How city plays major role in movie". MLive.com. Retrieved 2018-03-17.
  20. ↑ "Behind the scenes look at '30 Minutes or Less' filming in downtown Grand Rapids". MLive.com. Retrieved 2018-03-17.
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