GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A new documentary series offering an inside look at the Grand Rapids Police Department (GRPD) is set to air in less than two weeks, promising an unprecedented glimpse into the daily operations of the department under Chief Eric Winstrom’s leadership. The series, which will air weekly on Tuesdays at 10 p.m. ET on ID and stream the following day on Max, will begin on April 8.
In his first three years as the head of the department, Chief Winstrom has worked to overhaul the department’s culture and address the historically strained relationship between law enforcement and the community. Reflecting on the state of the department when he first arrived, Winstrom shared that trust in the police was at an all-time low.
“When I moved here two years ago from Chicago, trust was at an all-time low. I knew that I had to break down the walls,” Winstrom stated in the documentary’s trailer. He stepped into his role at a time when civil unrest and police distrust had reached a boiling point across the country, and Winstrom knew immediate action was necessary.
The documentary, which promises “the most access a documentary team has had to a police department,” showcases the inner workings of the GRPD, following officers for 100 days as they navigate the complexities of their daily duties. The documentary was filmed without any financial compensation from the police department, and Winstrom made it clear that nothing was off-limits in the process.
“This show is not about making the police department look good,” Winstrom said in an interview with News 8. “Knowing the cases that they follow, I think there is enough gray in there that you are going to be able to see that humans are not perfect, including police.”
Winstrom’s tenure has been marked by efforts to not only recruit more officers but also to foster a culture of transparency and accountability within the department. He has emphasized the importance of consistent, positive actions as a means of rebuilding trust over time.
“Knowing how to build trust is simple. I’m going to do the right thing tomorrow and the next day and the next day, and I’m going to keep doing it for as long as I am here,” Winstrom explained.
While Winstrom remains optimistic about the progress made, some community leaders argue that trust has not improved as much as he suggests. Cle Jackson, president of the Greater Grand Rapids Branch of the NAACP, expressed that while trust has not worsened, it has not necessarily increased either.
“That trust level from our vantage point is kind of the same,” Jackson said. “I don’t speak for the entire Black community — no one should. I am going to speak from a NAACP perspective in terms of some of the complaints we have received on a daily basis. Their trust is not at an all-time high. It’s just not.”
Meanwhile, Marian Barrera-Young, executive director of the Baxter Neighborhood Association, sees the documentary as an opportunity to foster more open conversations between the police and the community. She hopes the series will serve as a conversation starter, encouraging residents to engage with the department on a deeper level.
“I hope people start talking, asking questions, start wanting meetings where we can pull the police back out and talk about the documentary,” Barrera-Young said. “It’s a conversation piece, and I think that’s good. It gets them more involved.”
Chief Winstrom also sees the documentary as a tool for moving the city in the right direction when it comes to improving community trust in law enforcement. He hopes the series will help continue the positive momentum that has been building over the past three years.
“I hope that as an entire city we have been moving in the right direction for the past three-plus years, and I think we are heading in the right direction. I think there is a real opportunity that this documentary helps us get there,” he said.
As the series airs, it is expected to spark important dialogue and reflection on the complex relationship between police and the communities they serve. With its unflinching look at both the successes and challenges of policing, the documentary promises to offer viewers a rare, in-depth perspective on law enforcement in Grand Rapids.
Episodes of the documentary will be available weekly starting on April 8, providing an inside look into the GRPD’s operations and the ongoing efforts to rebuild trust within the community.
