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City confirms existing policy to prioritize safety over immigration enforcement; policy in commission packet
Summary
Following national reports about enforcement actions, city and police leaders told the Public Safety Committee the Grand Rapids policy prioritizes public‑safety responses over immigration status; the policy has been on file since 2017/2019 and will be part of the city commission packet for public review.
City and police leadership told the Public Safety Committee on Jan. 31 that the Grand Rapids Police Department and the city maintain existing policies that prioritize public safety over immigration enforcement and that the current policy documents are available in the city commission packet.
Why it matters: The discussion came after national coverage and local concern about potential enforcement actions that could affect community trust and 911 reporting; officials said reaffirming the policy and ensuring clear public communication is important to public safety.
City Manager (City of Grand Rapids) and Police Chief (Grand Rapids Police Department) both addressed committee questions about undocumented residents and enforcement. City leadership said the city has had a policy in place since 2017 and the police department has followed a policy since 2019 that focuses departmental resources on violent and public‑safety matters rather than immigration enforcement. The manager said the written policy is in the city commission packet and will be part of public discussion at the commission meeting that evening.
Police Chief reiterated public comments made previously: “The Grand Rapids Police Department isn't in the immigration enforcement business,” and added the department’s public messaging is designed to make sure residents feel comfortable calling 911 without fear of immigration consequences. City representatives said they have ongoing communication with federal partners and are monitoring national developments but that no change to local policy was proposed at the committee meeting.
Ending: Officials said they will share the written policy with the committee and foster public communication so residents understand how police prioritize resources.
