GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Grand Rapids Police Chief Eric Payne has been appointed to the Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.
The governor signed an executive order on June 12 to add four members to MCOLES--this includes the director of the Michigan Department of Civil Rights and three members of the community.
This order will add more voices to the commission as police reform has become a focus in the state.
“By bringing more diverse voices together, we can enact important changes to police procedures and build a more equitable state,” said Whitmer. “Having community leaders and the director of the Department of Civil Rights on this commission will help us ensure we’re enacting reforms to ensure everyone, no matter who they are, is treated fairly under the law. I look forward to working with this group and with everyone else who wants to build a more just, equitable Michigan.”
Whitmer appointed three community members to the commission, including Tellis J. Chapman, a pastor in Detroit, Jeffrey A. Hawkins, a pastor and business owner in Flint, and Lisa R. Jackson, a psychology professor and oversight commissioner in Ann Arbor.
Payne was appointed to fill a vacancy after Donald Mawer resigned. His term would start Aug. 14 and end Dec. 31.
Payne has been the chief of police in Grand Rapids since 2019. Payne is a graduate of Grand Valley State University and he studied at the Northwestern University Basic Hostage Negotiation School.
These appointments are subject to the consent of the Michigan Senate.
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