GRPD
Does the Grand Rapids Police Officers Association contract promote police officer misconduct?
by (Lyonel LaGrone II)
Submitted 12-18-2018 under OPINION
A citizen-based analysis of the current state of police-community relations in the City of Grand Rapids has revealed a consistent narrative: there is a clear resistance from the GRPD to accept accountability. The pattern in practice of GRPD...
Diverse neighborhood voices share report about communities and policing
by (DwellingPlaceCo...)
Submitted 08-09-2018 under NONPROFITS
In 2017, the Heartside Neighborhood held their first National Night Out. According to the National Night Out website, the event is “an annual community-building campaign that promotes police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie...
Local NAACP wants policing changes after detainment of 11-year-old girl
by (jproth1)
Submitted 12-19-2017 under NEWS
GRAND RAPIDS, MI - Leaders of the Greater Grand Rapids Branch of the NAACP and family members of 11-year-old Honestie Hodges gathered on Calder Plaza in front of City Hall Tuesday morning, December 19, 2017. The supporters are asking Grand Rapids...
Family traumatized after bail bondsman break-in, no police protection
by (arcarpenter)
Submitted 12-13-2017 under NEWS
There are two front doors at the Wilkerson house on Eastern Avenue. The first leads to the front porch, but a quick look shows the wood is splintered: the broken lock sits at an angle and often catches as Barbara Wilkerson tries to open or close it...
Regulating begging is still bad solution to poverty, public safety concerns
by (Elizabeth Roger...)
Submitted 12-12-2017 under OPINION
I work at The Rapidian now and have for about three years, but before I was a staff member, I was a community journalist. The second article I wrote on The Rapidian was an opinion piece detailing why I thought banning panhandling was a terrible idea...
Equity Service Policy passed without new measures for GRPD
by (Russell Olmsted)
Submitted 11-16-2017 under NEWS
On Tuesday, October 24, 2017 over 50 men, women, and children spoke before the City Commission asking that an Equal Service Policy be passed to protect the immigrant community from potential fear, intimidation, and harassment by City staff and...
City, GRPD must seek independent investigations into police call recordings to rebuild public trust, transparency
by (Russell Olmsted)
Submitted 09-15-2017 under OPINION
Yesterday, after months of fighting in court, the City was forced to release 5 recorded phone conversations between Officer’s Adam Ickes, Thomas Warwick, and the now fired Lt. Michael Janiskee. These conversations were related to a November...
Citizens' concerns remain over housing crisis, racial disparities at commission meeting
by (Russell Olmsted)
Submitted 06-08-2017 under NEWS
For 2017, the City of Grand Rapids planned three Commission meetings to be held out in the community rather than the usual commission chambers housed on the ninth floor of city hall. Tuesday marked the second of these neighborhood hosted meetings...
Mothers of boys stopped at gunpoint by police, 'trying to make change'
by (arcarpenter)
Submitted 04-06-2017 under NEWS
It’s been over a week since five African-American boys, age 12 to 14 years, were stopped at gunpoint by a police officer as they walked home from playing basketball at the Kroc Center on Division in Grand Rapids. IKeshia Quinn, a mother of two...
When grown men point loaded weapons at 12-year-old boys, none of us should sleep well at night
by (arcarpenter)
Submitted 03-29-2017 under OPINION
Last night, I couldn't sleep. It was 2 a.m., but my mind was still at the City Commission meeting, where three mothers told the story of their sons - 12 to 14 years in age - being stopped at gunpoint by police. (Their comments are at about 31:...