Grand Rapids Reporter

Newly chosen Grand Rapids Police Chief Eric Winstrom was sworn into office by City Clerk Joel Hondorp in early March at the City Hall Commission Chambers.

City leaders, along with Grand Rapids Police officials, friends, and family, observed Winstrom being sworn in as police chief. The ceremony is available for viewing on the city’s Facebook page and YouTube channel, according to the city's website.  

City Manager Mark Washington chose Winstrom, a Chicago Police Department (CPD) commander, in February to become the city’s new police chief after a lengthy search that involved community feedback, a news release from the city said.

“The city is fortunate to have someone as qualified and talented as Eric Winstrom on board as our police chief. I look forward to working with him to continue to advance policing and to continue our journey to strengthen trust between the community and our police department,” Washington said.

Former Grand Rapids Police Chief Eric Payne retired from service on March 4, according to the city.

Winstrom was a part of the CPD for more than 20 years in numerous roles including patrol, tactical, investigative, and office roles, and was supervisor for the CPD Leadership Team, the release said. He also headed the Area 5 Detective Division, where he supervised a staff of 200 workers that included 40 homicide detectives.

Area 5 accounted for “one-fifth of the City of Chicago, including the Northwest Side and O'Hare Airport,” according to the release. Winstrom's CPD tenure previously included instructing at the Chicago Police Academy, leading CPD's child sex crimes investigation unit, acting as a supervising attorney in the legal affairs division, and “assisting in the creation of the office of reform management [and] overseeing policy and procedure for the department.”

Winstrom, a member of the Illinois Bar Association, has a bachelor's degree in Administration of Justice from Rutgers University and a Juris Doctor from Brooklyn Law School, the release said. He is known as a court-acknowledged professional “on police policy, use of force, criminal investigations and the Fourth Amendment,” according to the city.