Grand Rapids Police Department Recruiting

2010-02-04T05:37:00.000-08:00

Thank You

2009-11-12T09:48:00.000-08:00

Thank you for visiting this site, however, it will be inactive until further notice.

GRPD Youth Police Academy 2009

2009-07-16T06:10:00.000-07:00

For the past several years, GRPD has committed a significant amount of time and resources into building relationships with our youth. This year, we took on the added responsibility of hosting not just one, but TWO Youth Police Academies.
YPA 09-1 was held June 8th - 12th with the second session held July 6th - 10th. This one week experience is a condensed yet comprehensive look into the profession. Our hope is to not only educate but also hopefully motivate the attendees to consider this honorable career.

Our Recruiting Officer Jason Gady was the Coordinator and Lead Instructor. He spent the entire week with the Recruits and guided them through many areas of police work such as Physical Training, Use of Force procedures and applications, Ethics, Traffic Stops and Firearms - to name just a few. These segments were taught by GRPD Training Instructors each of them experts in their field.

We would like to thank the Recruits for their energy, interest and fantastic attitudes! We had so much fun! Thanks also to all the Officers who allowed us to borrow their equipment so we could outfit the Recruits with gunbelts, all the Instructors, and those who assisted in making sure lunches were on time.

Lunch was a "big deal" here. After an hour of PT in the morning, the Recruits really looked forward to a good meal. We want to THANK the following lunch sponsors who graciously donated all the food for our YPA Recruits:

Adobe, Buffalo Wild Wings (BW3), Dog Pit, El Sombrero, Grand Rapids Pizza & Delivery, Peppinos, Sandmans, Subway - West Fulton location.

Please support these businesses - in these difficult times, they still recognized the need to support our young people!!!

RC 09-1 Graduation

2009-06-05T07:37:00.001-07:00

After 7 weeks of intense training, the members of Recruit Class 09-1 have taken the Oath of Office and were sworn in as Grand Rapids Police Officers. Their training ranged from Critical Incident Response to Dispatch and Detective Unit Orientation. It required a mental and physical commitment which they embraced and exceeded. We are very proud of their accomplishments and expect great work from them in Field Training.

Critical incidents require teamwork and communication. The Recruits practice these skills by diagraming the building in the scenario.

The Recruits learned new skills and improved upon those they already had.

Recruits completed approximately 400 scenarios during Orientation.

Over 40 Instructors were involved in the training of the Recruits.

And at the end of the day - even OC day - the Recruits were still smiling.

Congratulations to RC 09-1! We are proud of you!!!

Recruit Class 09-1

2009-04-17T11:37:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to the newest members of the GRPD Family!

Recruit Class 09-1 started their In-house Orientation on Monday, April 13th. They were personally welcomed by Chief Belk, Deputy Chief Farris, numerous members of the Command Staff, Training Bureau and many GRPD Personnel.

Jeffrey Konwinski

Sean McCamman

Paul Mercer

Kayla Oxender

Andrew Rusticus

Ryan Sterenberg

Peter Thompson

Ross Vandenberg

I am happy to introduce them to you! Do YOU want to be in our next recruit class? Do you have questions regarding how you can make that happen? Contact Recruiting Officer Jason Gady (616) 456-4247 or send me an e-mail and we will help you any way we can!

Come out and support the GRPD Unity Tour Team!

2009-04-15T14:07:00.000-07:00

Click on the image for magnification.

Spring Training GRPD style!

2009-02-26T10:00:00.000-08:00

I'm happy to report that our Mandatory Training session - Use of Force/ECD Recert and MOP/Legal Update is now complete. Each Officer spent 10 hours in training to complete this very important recert and update. With 12 Officers per session and almost as many Instructors, this was a huge undertaking for our Training Bureau.

Our training is scenario based and interactive. We designed scenarios for both our Defensive Tactics Room and Scenario Room in addition to the recertification of skills. Some were completed in low-light conditions to mimic realistic building searches, resident contacts etc. While it was physically and mentally challenging, the feedback was overwhelmingly positive.

It's impossible to capture the dynamic nature of this training in pictures but I wanted to try and show you a few examples.

Next up for Departmental Training - Spring Firearms! Check back soon!

GRPD Youth Police Academy

2009-01-23T04:36:00.000-08:00

We are gearing up to again host our Summer Youth Police Academy. The academy is a youth based partnership between the GRPD and students in Kent County. It is designed for students between the ages of 16 and 18 who are interested in a hands-on, comprehensive look at the law enforcement profession. This one week training program encompasses over 50 hours dedicated to physical training, classroom lecture, public speaking and scenario based training.
Training Topics will include:
Professional Conduct
Defensive Tactics
Special Response Team
Patrol Operations
Vice Unit
K-9 Unit
Dispatch
Hostage Negotiations
Traffic Investigations

The topics are instructed by field experts and much of the training will be hands on learning. This is truly a unique experience that will aid students in their professional development.

Due to the very successful programs of the last two years, we have decided to expand the program and host TWO Sessions this summer:
June 8 - 12, 2009 (Session 1)
July 6 - 10, 2009 (Session 2)
All high school Juniors and Seniors who reside in Kent County OR attend any school within Kent County are eligible to apply.
Applications can be found in the following places:
-In person at the Grand Rapids Police Department Training Bureau
-Online at www.grpolice.com (or click on the GRPD link on this page)
-By contacting Officer Gady at (616) 456-4247
Applications will be due by March 13th, 2009 at 5:00pm!
Check back often as I will post more information on this exciting opportunity in the next few weeks!

Meet our Background Investigators

2009-01-21T10:44:00.000-08:00

From left to right: Refugio (Greg) Alcala, Bryan Boone, Gene Tobin, Chip Ware, Jenny Rood and Kent Beracy. Not Pictured: RJ Zabriskie and Jamie Chianfoni - Pics and Bio will be included at a later date.

For those of you in our hiring process, we would like to introduce our talented group of Background Investigators.
Officer Greg Alcala is a 10 year verteran of GRPD. He spent several years on Third Shift Patrol before being selected as a South Service area Community Officer. He is also a Field Training Officer, Defensive Tactics Instructor and OC Instructor.
Officer Bryan Boone has worked for GRPD since 1990! He served 8 years on our Special Response Team (then called the NPU,) 3 years as a Detective, 8 years on Patrol and has been a FTO for over 15 years.
Officer Gene Tobin has over 12 years of Policing experience and has served 10 years at GRPD. His career has included time in our Vice Unit, Community Police Officer program and Third Shift Patrol in our East Service Area. Officer Tobin has been assigned as a Background Investigator previously and is also a FTO.
Officer Chip Ware has worked for GRPD for 19 years! He is a Field Training Officer and has worked Patrol, Vice and K-9. Officer Ware has also done Background Investigations in the past.
Officer Jenny Rood is a 9 year veteran of the Police Department. She is currently assigned to the South Service Area on Third Shift. She has done Background Investigations several times in the past. She is also a CPR/First Aid Instructor and a FTO.
Officer Kent Beracy has 18 years experience as a Police Officer - 10 of those years with GRPD. He currently works Third Shift Patrol in our West Service Area. He has done Background Investigations in the past and is also a FTO.

Reminder: If you are in our Hiring Process (which closed on December 15, 2008) you MUST report any changes of residency, employment etc or police contacts to your Background Investigator. You may call our Office (616) 456-3330 to be directed to your Investigator.

Test Day

2009-01-08T09:36:00.000-08:00

Thank you to all of you who came to GRPD Headquarters on Monday and tested with us! It was great to see you all and exciting to think that soon, we will be working with some of you! Although there were several of us there to talk to, if you still have questions, please don't hesitate to ask. We are happy to help.
For those of you who could not make this test or are still in the academy, come back to this site often! I will keep you updated on all current and future hiring information as soon as it becomes available. In case you are interested, here is a "sneak peek" of what you can expect at our next test! I'd like to give a big Thank You to Officer Terry Dixon for taking the pictures and editing the video and to Lt. Lind for the video introduction.

CAREER IN LAW ENFORCEMENT EXPO

2009-01-06T06:03:00.000-08:00

Please join us for another Grand Rapids Police Department first. Approaching fast on the heels of the first annual Grand Rapids Police Department Open House is the Career in Law Enforcement Expo, being held on Saturday, January 10, 2009. The Expo is the second part of a double pronged, long-term strategy to get interested candidates in the doors of the Grand Rapids Police Department. The Expo is designed for individuals who are not certified and who have a desire to find out more about what it takes to become a Law Enforcement Officer.
The GRPD will be partnering with Grand Rapids Community College's (GRCC) Criminal Justice Program. GRCC Police Academy Director Jodi Richhart will be on staff to field questions regarding academic requirements, as well as the application and selection process for acceptance into the Academy.

The Career in Law Enforcement Expo will take place on Saturday, January 10, 2009 at the follwing times/locations:
10:00am to 12:00pm at the Steil Center, 235 Straight Ave NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503.
1:00pm to 3:00pm at the Seidman Center, 139 Crofton St SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49507.
4:00pm to 6:00pm at the Hispanic Center, 1204 Grandville Ave SW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503.

The Grand Rapids Police Department believes that by utilizing its best resource, the citizens of Grand Rapids, the rewards to the Department, and to the city as a whole, will be endless.

Happy New Year

2009-01-01T19:09:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year everyone! We are looking forward to seeing many of you on Monday, January 5, 2009 for the exam. Please be sure to be on time as the test will start at the time indicated. If you have any questions, our office will be staffed tomorrow (Friday) so please contact Officer Jason Gady at (616) 456-4247. Best of luck to all of you on Monday!

Are you ready?

2008-12-30T09:21:00.000-08:00

We've sent out all the Background Questionnaires and have received many of them back. For those of you in our current Hiring Process, please note that they were due either 12/15/08 or 12/29/08. If for some reason, you did NOT receive your Questionnaire please contact us immediately for further instructions. Call Officer Jason Gady (616)456-4247, our Office number (616) 456-3330 or myself at (616) 456-3329.

We Have A Winner!

2008-12-18T13:18:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to Officer Refugio "Greg" Alcala, this year's winner of the Robert "Koz" Kozminski Memorial Tactical Firearms Competition. Officer Alcala has been with the department almost 10 years and is currently assigned to the South Service Area as a Community Police Officer.

We were honored to have Mr. and Mrs. Kozminski and Koz's daughter Kailey here to present the plaque.

The members of the Training Bureau would like to congratulate all of you who attempted the course and remind you to practice up for next year! We also want to sincerely thank the Kozminski's for making the presentation so special for all of us.

City Website - Maintenance

2008-12-12T07:16:00.000-08:00

Please be advised that the City's website will be down for maintenance from 9:00am to 11:00am on Saturday, December 13th but will be available after that time to accept applications. Thank you for your patience!

Hiring - Background Questionnaires

2008-12-11T07:10:00.000-08:00

As our Hiring Process moves forward, those of you who have applied are probably anxiously awaiting the next step. Once your on-line application has been processed by Human Resouces, you should expect to receive your Background Questionnaire in the mail. These are being mailed out in two mailings so if you applied after (approximately) December 3rd, you will not receive yours for a few weeks.

If you have received your Questionnaire, please read and follow the directions from Human Resources regarding the due date. You SHOULD NOT bring the Questionnaire with you to the test - it should be mailed by the date indicated on your letter.
As you go through the Questionnaire, please contact us if you have ANY questions. We will be more than happy to answer any questions or concerns that you may have and look forward to talking to you! Our direct office number is (616) 456-3330 which will connect you to our Office Assistant. She will then forward you on to a Training Bureau staff member.

THANK YOU!!!

2008-12-11T06:26:00.000-08:00

Thanks to all of you who took the time out of your busy Saturday - during the Holiday Season - to come meet with us! It was great to see you all and meet you and your families. Everyone here at GRPD including the Training Bureau, the representatives from Patrol, SRT, K-9, Interns, Cadets and College Representatives truly hope that you enjoyed your time here and found the experience to be beneficial.

If you have any questions that you would still like answered, please don't hesistate to ask!

Emergency Communications Operator I - JOB OPENING!

2008-12-03T12:40:00.000-08:00

While recruiting the best Police Officers for GRPD is our primary goal; we are also fielding many calls from those of you interested in our Dispatch Program - which we call Emergency Communications Operators or ECOs. Our ECOs are civilian personnel who have been specially trained (over the course of 2 years) to not only answer 911 emergency and non-emergency calls but also dispatch Police Officers to those calls, handle all LEIN requests and more. Our ECOs are responsible for helping the public and our Officers and ensure the safety of both - each and every shift.

We are currently accepting applications for the position of ECO I until January 5, 2009.

This could be the view from "your" office!!

The pay scale starts at $37,857 and tops at $44,701 for an ECO I, however, within 24 months, you will be trained to be an ECO II w/a payscale of $37,857 to $50,733. This work requires an ability to stay calm in a crisis, be able to multi-task efficiently, have excellent problem solving abilities, communicate well with the public and have a strong desire to help our community, our officers and your co-workers.

Interested? Click on the GR City logo and apply today. Questions? Contact Communications Bureau Manager Ralph Gould at (616) 456-3840. Or, if you'd like to send me an e-mail, I will forward it to him as well.

Open House Update

2008-12-03T12:06:00.000-08:00

We've received a lot of questions about how to become a Police Officer so if you haven't yet attended an academy, we're going to put you in touch with some of the experts. This Saturday, at our Open House, representatives from Grand Valley State University and Grand Rapids Community College will be here to answer any questions you may have about their Criminal Justice programs.

Come see us at GRPD Headquarters, 01 Monroe Cn. NW, between 2:00pm and 7:00pm on Saturday, December 6th!

Also, if you have applied to GRPD or are thinking about applying, we want to talk to you. Bring the family for a tour, see our new Recruiting video, talk to Recruiters, Field Training Officers, Background Investigators, members of the K-9 Team, SRT and more. If you are looking for a great career opportunity, we want to show you what we have to offer. If you can't make it Saturday but would like to talk to a Recruiter, please call (616) 456-4247 and talk to Officer Jason Gady.

Open House - DECEMBER 6th

2008-11-26T09:41:00.001-08:00

Just a quick reminder: We are hosting an open house for all of you interested in joining GRPD. It will be held at GRPD Headquarters on Saturday, December 6th from 2:00pm to 7:00pm. We will have representatives from many different units within the department such as K-9, SRT and more. Also, our Recruiters, Field Training Officers and Officers involved with our Pension Board will be available for any questions.
This will be very informal. Please feel free to bring your family with you. We'd like a chance to meet and talk to you to help you make a great decision.

While you're in town, there is a Griffins Game at the Van Andel Arena, the Grand Rapids Symphony has it's Fifth Third Holiday Pops concert, Frederick Meijer Gardens and the Van Andel Museum have their holiday displays up and Night Lights is up at Fifth Third Ball Park. Please contact these businesses for more details. Also, the GRPD Unity Tour riders are hosting a fundraising concert at RiverCity Slims to raise money for their annual bike ride to honor our fallen Officers. Local bands Stickerblister and Borrowed Time will be performing. Come talk to us at GRPD and then enjoy a night out on the town in beautiful Grand Rapids!

Citizen Police Academy Graduation

2008-11-26T08:35:00.000-08:00

CONGRATULATIONS CITIZEN POLICE ACADEMY 08-02

On November 18th, GRPD celebrated the graduation of the 13th Citizen Police Academy. Lt. Mark Ostapowicz runs the 10 week program (one night a week for 10 weeks) with the assistance of Sgt. John Dorer and many other GRPD personnel. Attendees spend time learning about how the Police Department functions as well as other specialized units within the PD such as Forensics. Most will also take part in a Ride-a-long with one of our Field Training Officers and learn how we apply what they've learned to answering calls and making stops on the street.

To CPA 08-02: Thanks for all the time you've spent with us these last 10 weeks. We hope you enjoyed your time here and keep in touch!

Christmas Parade

2008-11-26T07:52:00.000-08:00

Grand Rapids gets ready for the holidays by hosting the annual Santa Claus Parade through the streets of downtown. It was a little chilly but a perfect morning to get out with the family and enjoy the city!

GRPD started the parade in style as it led the way with the new Recruiting cruiser and our Honor Guard.

Several local Fire Departments including GRFD, Kentwood FD and Gerald R. Ford Airport brought their rigs out for the kids to see.

There was plenty more to see - Here's Crash from our own West Michigan Whitecaps.

The kids loved the big trucks!

Several local high school bands provided the musical entertainment.

And finally, the Guest of Honor - Santa!!!

A city the size of Grand Rapids has a lot to offer you AND your family!

GRPD Recruiting Open House

2008-11-18T08:57:00.000-08:00

Police Officer Applicants - Mark your calendars!!! We want to meet you...and show you what a career at GRPD can offer. On Saturday, December 6th, we will be hosting an Open House at GRPD Headquarters. From 2:00pm to 7:00pm, you can stop in and talk to Recruiters, get a tour of the building including dispatch, the training facilities (on site), fitness rooms and more.
This will be family friendly - bring your spouse, significant other, parents or kids. While you're in town, you should consider taking in a Grand Rapids Griffins Hockey Game at Van Andel Arena or ice skating at Rosa Parks Circle. There are so many activities - check back soon for some exciting ideas!

Recruiting Campaign

2008-11-18T08:46:00.000-08:00

As you travel through our great city, you will see some new additions to the scenery:

It's no secret that GRPD wants the best and the brightest - that means YOU! Our Recruiting Billboards are up and our new Recruiting Vehicle is out and about. If you haven't seen us yet at your Academy and would like to, please call us (616) 456-4247 and talk to Recruiting Officer Jason Gady. We are accepting applications for the position of Police Officer - Apply today! (Please see past posts for more hiring information.)

Nice Catch!

2008-11-18T08:37:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to GRPD Sergeants, Officers and Detectives involved in the recent apprehension of several B&E suspects. The suspects were arraigned yesterday on weapons and home invasion charges as well as fleeing and eluding and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Great Teamwork!!!

Building Tours

2008-11-18T08:25:00.000-08:00

Last week Monday, two Boy Scout Troops came to tour the Police Department. We had a great time with everyone. Thank you all for taking the time to come visit and learn a little bit about GRPD. Thanks also to Sgt. Geraghty and Ofc. Hoornstra for giving us the K-9 demonstration. The Scouts said that was their favorite part of the tour.

Officer Tim Hoornstra and K-9 Brick

Sergeant Darren Geraghty and K-9 Liam

Recent Achievement Award

2008-11-14T13:25:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to Officer Eric Hornbacher for receiving the Combat Star. Great job Officer Hornbacher!

Opportunity is Knocking!

2008-11-13T10:41:00.000-08:00

Please see the posts below for Testing Information! I want to share some very important benefits of working at GRPD:
Career Opportunities: Detective Unit, K-9 Unit, Patrol Units, Special Response Team, Support Services, Traffic Unit, Training Bureau and Vice Unit.
Secondary Assignments: Bomb Team, COP 2 COP Peer Support Team, Crisis Negotiation Team, Field Training Officer, Honor Guard, Training Instructors - Firearms, Defensive Tactics, CPR/First Aid, Bloodborne Pathogens, EVO and more.

BENEFITS:
Competitive Salary - Police Officers make $37,345.00 - $57,745.00 base salary. Lateral Transfers start mid-range. See the posting below for further on Lateral Transfer information. An Officer reached maximum pay after 5 years of service.
Health Care - Our Health Insurance is provided by Benefit Source and includes Medical, Dental and Vision.
Paid Sick Leave - Employees accumulate eight hours of sick leave time for each month worked. Unused sick leave days accumulate from year to year to an unlimited amount.
Paid Vacation - Employees with one year of service are credited for 80 hours vacation time. This stays constant until after 5 years where you get an extra 8 hours per year of service (over 5.) You reach a max after 19 years of service with 200 hours credited per year.
Longevity Pay - The longer you work here the better! With 5-9 years of service you get $300 per year, 10-15 years = $600 per year, 15-19 years = $900 per year, 20-24 = $1,200 per year, 25 and over = $1,500 per year.
Education Pay - Employees are given monetary bonuses for their education upon successful completion of their one-year probationary period. Employees with 30 hrs of college credit receive $200 per year, 60 credit hrs = $400 per year, Associate's Degree in Police Administration = $500 per year, Bachelor's Degree = $800 per year, Bachelor's Degree in Police Administration = $1,000 per year.
Holiday Pay - 12 paid Holidays per year.
Overtime - Employees have the option of taking their overtime in compensatory time off or in pay. You may accumulate 480 hours of comp time off. You can also cash out any number of hours that have accumulated in your comp bank.

There are so many reasons to join GRPD. If you have any questions or concerns, please let me know and I'll be happy to talk to you about it. You can contact me via e-mail or (616) 456-3329 or call our Recruiting Officer Jason Gady at (616) 456-4247. Apply Now!

Testing and Hiring Information

2008-11-13T09:49:00.000-08:00

So you'd like to join GRPD? First, you have to apply! Please see the post below for the on-line instructions but here is a brief explaination of our selection process:
Apply Online
Meet state mandated Police Officer qualifications - be a licensed Officer working in the State of Michigan or will be graduating from a MCOLES (Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards) Academy by March 6, 2009 OR if you work outside the State of Michigan, complete the Recognition of Prior Training and Experience Program prior to March 6, 2009. There is a link to MCOLES for you to learn more, or call MCOLES at (517) 322-6525 with questions regarding this program. .
Complete the Written Exam - This is scheduled for January 5, 2009 and will take place at GRPD Headquarters.
Background Questionnaire Screening - Once you apply, you will be sent a Background Questionnaire which must be completed and returned when you arrive for the test. It will be reviewed for basic information and then once you pass the test and administrative review you will be scheduled for the Oral Board Interview.
Oral Board Interview - If you live outside of a 150 mile radius, we may make arrangements for you to interview immediately following the written exam; otherwise, interviews will be January 13, 14 and 15 at GRPD Headquarters.
Background Investigations - will be completed.
Conditional Offers of Employment - will be made to the most qualified candidates.
Physical and Psychological Exams will be completed - We will make the arrangements.
In-house Orientation - This is a 7 week program.
Field Training Program - This is a minimum of 16 weeks with a Field Training Officer.
Probation - You complete probation by successfully completing 1 year of service.

You can do this! Apply today! If you have any questions about this process, I will be happy to talk to you via e-mail or call me at (616) 456.3329 or contact our Recruiting Officer Jason Gady at (616) 456.4247

We Have a Test Date!!!

2008-11-13T06:20:00.000-08:00

I am happy to announce that our application process is now open and we are accepting applications for the position of Police Officer! Please click on the link to the Official Website of the City of Grand Rapids to apply. Once you reach the website, click on "I want to - Apply for a job" and then "Job Opportunities." Please note that applications will only be accepted until December 15th and then this current process will close so apply today!
I will post more information this afternoon regarding the hiring process and pay/benefits. So, check back soon for updated info.

Mandatory Training

2008-11-05T13:08:00.000-08:00

Last week, GRPD Personnel began CPR/First Aid and Bloodborne Pathogens Recert. Our Instructors are specially trained GRPD Personnel.

While our students are in class, we are taking that opportunity to do a complete safety inspection of all the equipment on their duty-belts. In addition, GRPD Armorers are detailing each Officer's weapon.

GRPD is dedicated to the safety and security of our Community and our Officers!

Pride and Honor throughout History

2008-10-30T09:40:00.000-07:00

I recently stumbled upon these amazing, old photographs in the GRPD Archives and I realized that in my previous posts, I had neglected to mention one of the most important things that GRPD has - a History of Honor through Service. So I'd like to show you a little of the History behind the badge that we proudly wear.

The Grand Rapids Police Department was established June 10, 1871 when James L. Moran was hired as the City's first Police Chief.

This photo is from the 1890's. By 1927, GRPD employed over 100 Officers!

The first "cruiser" was the "Black Mariah", a horse-drawn paddy wagon used to transport officers and/or suspects.

These appear to be the first GRPD Motorcycles.

This photo was taken in 1926 in front of Police Headquarters which at the time was at Crescent Street and Ottawa Avenue.

1950's Cruiser

1970's to 1980's Cruiser

Here is the "Riot Squad" from 1911 and Field Force Training in the 1980's.

And finally, the first recorded GRPD Recruiting Poster:

Now that you've seen a little of our history, are you interested in becoming part of our future? I'd be happy to answer any questions you may have. You can reply to the post or contact me directly via e-mail.

New Photos

2008-10-23T10:49:00.000-07:00

We took advantage of Michigan's beautiful fall weather and Autumn colors to update our photos. I'd like to show you a couple so you can see some of the opportunities Grand Rapids Police Department can offer you:

If you like, you can click on the photo to enlarge it - we have representatives of Patrol, Special Response Team, Hostage Negotiators, Bomb Team, K-9 Officers, Bicycle Trained Officers and our Motorcycle Unit. The Officers and Sergeants in these photos have worked Patrol, Vice, Detective Unit, Training Bureau, Traffic Unit and more. There truly are endless opportunities at GRPD; we want you to ENJOY your career!

I'd like to thank our photograper Officer Terry Dixon who risked life and limb to get some of these shots!
I'd also like to especially thank the Firefighters of Grand Rapids Fire Department Ladder Truck 4 who assisted us in getting these amazing shots. We couldn't have done it without them!

Pistol Competition - Video

2008-10-20T11:06:00.000-07:00

Check out these short clips of the Robert "Koz" Kozminski Memorial Tactical Firearms Competition!

I'll keep you updated and post a winner as soon as we know!

Advanced Firearms Training

2008-10-20T06:23:00.000-07:00

It's a perfect October day in Michigan- 55 degrees and partly sunny. I can't think of anywhere else I'd rather be than at the GRPD Outdoor Range! This group is taking part in our Advanced Firearms Training. We've upgraded our shotguns with a pistol grip stock, a receiver mounted side sleeve and forend (with rail system) that will accept a light mount. These changes create a more versatile combat weapon. In addition, we've also added Federal Premium Tactical "Truball" Slug ammuntion. This will provide us with a more precise option at greater distances.

Robert "Koz" Kozminski Memorial Tactical Firearms Competition

2008-10-14T12:37:00.000-07:00

On October 8th, GRPD began the Robert "Koz" Kozminski Memorial Tactical Firearms Competition. Officer Kozminski was killed In the Line of Duty on July 8, 2007 and this competition is one of the ways we honor his life and service at GRPD.

The competition is a "stress course" and includes drills testing:

Marksmanship

Use of Cover

Shooting on the Move

Cover to Cover Movement

The course is timed with penalties for misses and disqualifications for safety violations.

The course is designed by Firearms Instructors and will be changed year to year. Last year, the honor was awarded to a Team whereas this year, a single Officer will be named as the winner. May the Best Shooter win!!!

INTRODUCTION

2008-10-07T11:21:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the GRPD Recruiting Blog! Grand Rapids, Michigan is a beautiful, vibrant city with a population of approximately 200,000. Our Police Department is 323 strong and we hope to add Officers soon. I am Katie Hefner. I have been an Officer at GRPD for almost 10 years and have been assigned to the Training Bureau since 2006. I have been actively involved in Recruiting since 2001 when I Recruited at my first Career Fair - and I've been hooked ever since. Let me tell you a little about what we can offer you:

Competitive Wages
Health Care - Medical, Dental and Vision
Paid Sick Leave
Longevity Pay
Paid Vacation
Education Pay

We have the following Career Opportunities:
Patrol Units
Special Response Team
Investigations (Detective) Unit
Vice Unit
K-9 Unit
Training Unit
Community Officer

We offer Secondary Assignments:
Honor Guard
Bomb Team
Hostage Negotiator
Field Training Officer
Training Instructor - Firearms/Defensive Tactics/Ethics/Emergency Vehicle Operations/CPR & First Aid

Check back soon - future comments, posts, pictures and videos will be added! If you have any questions, please respond to the posts and I will be happy to personally respond.