The next Grand Rapids police chief will earn a salary between $159,915 – $206,150, according to the job posting.
The city of Grand Rapids has hired the search firm Public Sector Search & Consulting, Inc. to conduct a national search. The firm previously worked with Grand Rapids to hire former chiefs Eric Payne and Eric Winstrom. The Grand Rapids Herald has filed a Freedom of Information Act request with the city for Payne and Winstrom’s employment contracts.
The Grand Rapids Police Department is authorized up to 312 sworn officers and 110 civilian staff. Winstrom announced his departure in February, citing anti-police politics as one reason for leaving.
The Grand Rapids Herald collected data on other cities’ police chief salaries and department sizes, as well as population size and median rent costs for a two-bedroom apartment. Considered were other large Michigan cities and cities of comparable size, according to the 2020 U.S. Census.
The posted salary is similar to other Midwestern cities. Ann Arbor’s police chief made $180,250 in 2025. The city has a population of 123,851 people, per the 2020 U.S. Census and a median family income of $146,116. The cost of a median two-bedroom apartment in Ann Arbor is nearly $2,000 a month, outstripping the $1,663 price tag in Grand Rapids.
Detroit’s police chief, who oversees a staff of about 2,600 sworn officers, earns $243,152 annually. Lansing’s top cop makes $153,830.
The city of St. Paul, Minn. has about 100,000 more residents than Grand Rapids and nearly 600 sworn officers on its police force. Its chief earns $207,688, which is almost identical to the high end of Grand Rapids’ posted salary range. Likewise, the salary range in Des Moines is between $175,000 – $210,000, according to a 2024 job posting.
The Southern cities collected typically have larger police forces than the GRPD, but their chiefs’ salaries vary. In Mobile, Ala., the chief earns between $146,208 – $149,863, despite overseeing a force of 500 sworn officers. The median family income is about $10,000 less than the median Grand Rapids family income, and median monthly rent is also about $400 cheaper for a two-bedroom apartment.
The police chief in Amarillo, Texas, earns between $200,000 – $240,000. The Amarillo Police Department has 380 sworn officers and 74 civilian personnel.
The job posting has been active since May 8, and City Manager Mark Washington has said he expects interviews to take place the week of June 17.
Write to juliana@grherald.com