Over the past few months, the Grand Rapids Police Department has undergone another notable shift in management. After former Chief Eric Winstrom stepped down, longtime officer Joseph Trigg, a Muskegon native, was promoted to the top job. While he admits he “moving up the ladder” has never been at the forefront of his mind, it’s an honor to be an important figure in an area he has called home for several decades.
Trigg is West Michigan through and through. Along with growing up in Muskegon, he attended both Grand Rapids Community College and Grand Valley State University before graduating from the police academy at Lansing Community College. That led to him being hired by the GRPD in 2001. In the quarter-century he has been on the force, he has gone from patrol officer to lieutenant, and captain to deputy chief under Winstrom. With that, Trigg has a unique and intimate perspective of West Michigan’s largest city. Not only does he have experience wearing the shield, but he knows the Greater Grand Rapids area better than most, giving him an easier opportunity to connect with those in the community.
How Trigg became the chief of the GRPD is certainly a tumultuous tale. Winstrom, who came to Grand Rapids from the mean streets of Chicago in 2022, hoped that he could call GR home until his career came to an end. However, he quickly realized the fractured relationship between the community and law enforcement made the job a little tougher than he expected. That led him to step down this past February, opening up the position to Trigg. He admits that Winstrom’s departure was a “punch in the gut” but understands why he elected to move on.
“He was so well liked,” Trigg said in an interview with GR Channel. “Flip side is, we’re very happy for him…On a selfish level, we didn’t want to see him go. That’s me included. I enjoyed working with him. … He was in a tough position. He came in at a tough time.”
Trigg was given the tag as interim police chief shortly thereafter, but was sworn in as the permanent replacement last month.
In his over two decades on the job, Trigg recognizes there have been massive changes in the approach officers take to situations, with technology being a key part in helping the force be more thorough.
“We use a lot of small team tactics, which is good…Everyone’s calling for de-escalation. That’s a buzzword. So it’s really taking our time in making sure that we’re safe, that we can get a safe outcome with everything, is one of the biggest changes. … The newer generation, the younger men and women that we have now, they’re growing up in this technological world, which is good because we have some technology that we didn’t have back then. So it’s self-defense, whether you’re talking about drones or body cameras or any type of technology, like the cell phone stuff…but also, us old school, our communication skills are pretty sharp because we’re communicating and talking more. So that’s something when we’re hiring people to make sure that people understand that.”
The relationship between the GRPD and the citizens of Grand Rapids has been flawed at times, but that flawed connection was repaired ever-so-slightly a couple of years ago with the docuseries All-Access PD: Grand Rapids on HBO Max. It gave viewers an inside look at the inner workings of the force, both in how they solve crimes and how patrol officers deal with day-to-day conflict.
Trigg admits the show helped give people a unique perspective on the department, but recognizes there’s still work to be done in order to gain trust in the community as a whole.
“Transparency is key to building trust,” Trigg said. “We know that, but also being present, too. I think Chief Winstrom did a good job of getting to as many things as possible that have value. So, I want to continue to build on that. I also have built connections over 25 years…I’m hoping I can be the bridge to build some more trust, being out in the community and having those tough conversations because I think most people know I don’t shy away from those.”
Trigg admitted that he doesn’t expect to be with the GRPD for another 25 years, hinting at 5-8 years is a more attainable goal. He notes that, since starting with the organization, significant improvements have been made, but he isn’t going to be letting his guard down anytime soon.
“Our community is safer. They have men and women that appreciate them, and our men and women are safe. … I’ve always had an ability to connect with people. I like people. I enjoy talking with people. I know that there’s some that you’re just not going to win over…. but I want to win the majority and see if we can community police on a whole other level because it makes us safer.”
on July 29, 2026
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