Officials say progress has been made on a 12-point Grand Rapids policing plan.
The set of recommendations included adoption of body cameras, increased community policing, engagement and transparency, and officer implicit bias training.
In an update presented to city officials on Tuesday, Grand Rapids Police Department Chief David Rahinsky says that training will begin in the next four to six weeks by Lamberth Consulting at a cost of $46,500.
He also says close to two-thirds of the department have been equipped with body cameras. The department plans to expand that into its detective and command staff by the end of May.
Nine of the 12 recommendations are completed, Rahinsky says; the tenth is implicit bias training.
The last two are studies on traffic stop and arrest disparities.
Officials say a study of traffic stops is in the planning stages. They expect a study on arrest disparities to begin by the end of next year.
The recommendations were originally presented by City Manager Gregory Sundstrom in early 2015.
Other benchmarks included creation of digital data privacy policies and increased attraction and retention opportunities for local youth interested in a law enforcement career.
Rahinsky points to initiatives including the department’s Coffee with a Cop, OnBase athletic season and its Explorer youth program as examples of community efforts in action.
