Grand Rapids police cite mixed crime trends, highlight co‑response mental‑health partnership

Police leaders told the Grand Rapids Public Safety Committee on Jan. 31 that overall auto thefts are down to below pre‑pandemic levels while the city continues to investigate its first recorded homicide of 2025 and to track fatal overdoses.

The committee heard an update on the Grand Rapids Police Department’s co‑response program, a partnership with Network 180 that pairs clinicians with officers to respond to behavioral‑health calls. Police officials said the co‑response clinicians average 5.8 calls per day and that the team handled 92 drop‑offs to the new behavioral health crisis center in 2024 after the center opened in June.

Why it matters: Committee members and staff framed co‑response as part of a broader shift in how police respond to behavioral health and substance‑use crises, with officials saying the approach reduces emergency‑room visits, EMS responses and arrests for people in need of treatment rather than criminal prosecution.

Police Chief (Grand Rapids Police Department) opened the briefing by noting both progress and tragedy: “If you weren't aware, we lost Shamaya Stewart, a 12‑year‑old girl, which would count for our statistically first murder of, 2025,” and added investigators are continuing work on that case. The chief also said detectives are maintaining active investigative work on older homicide cases and that the department recovers “more than 1 illegally possessed gun, every day of the year so far in 2025.”

On property crime, the chief described a strong decline in auto theft compared with the spike that began in 2022 tied to thefts of certain vehicle makes. He credited police work with manufacturers and community prevention efforts for the decline.

Chrissy, MSW (Network 180), described the behavioral health crisis center as “a 24‑7, social‑work run” facility that functions “almost like a 24‑7 ER for mental health and substance use.” Committee members asked about average lengths of stay and capacity; Chrissy said average stays are about 72 hours and chief staff later estimated the center operates with roughly 12 to 14 beds depending on acuity. Daryl Howard (downtown supervisor and co‑response team member) joined the briefing and was present to answer operational questions.

Committee members raised staffing and sustainability questions: staff and elected officials noted Network 180 currently pays some co‑response salaries and that funding also includes state and federal grants, ARPA funds, and other grant sources. The police chief said staffing has been incremental — “we started with 1, then we went to 2, then we went to 3” — and that the department would consider whether the city should commit local resources to scale the program.

Members discussed workforce recruitment challenges for social workers, noting national surveys that many social workers report safety concerns in the field. The chief and Network 180 staff said co‑response clinicians do not go out alone and that the partnership aims to make the roles sustainable. Committee members and staff also discussed outreach, follow‑up and “wraparound” services for repeat high utilizers and whether the next program phase should include proactive wellness checks and stronger case management.

The briefing also covered overdose geography and demographics, with a chief’s slide showing overdoses occurring citywide, a higher male rate (about 2:1) and disproportionate impacts on the African American community when adjusted per capita. The chief noted there were three recorded fatal overdoses in the reported period.

The committee did not take formal action during the briefing; members asked for additional data on crisis‑center capacity and for future updates on program scaling, referrals and outcomes.

Ending: Officials said they would continue the incremental staffing approach and bring additional capacity and funding questions back to the committee in future briefings.