GRAND RAPIDS, MI (WKZO AM-FM) — The hiring of former Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety Chief Karianne Thomas to the Grand Rapids Police Department was met with protest on Friday, June 11th.
Dozens gathered in Grand Rapids at Monroe Street near Rosa Parks Circle around 6 p.m. for the protest organized by Justice for Black Lives. According to WWMT, the protesters chanted while marching to the police station, not only expressing their frustrations over the hiring of Thomas, but about social justice issues, mentioning Grand Rapids native Breonna Taylor, who was shot and killed by police in Louisville, Kentucky last year.
Thomas, who was the department’s first female police chief, was fired from her position at KDPS in September of 2020 after serving three years in that capacity along with 27 total years with the department. Her departure followed criticism of her department’s handling of a Proud Boys rally on August 15th, as well as Black Lives Matter protests over last summer.
The Grand Rapids Police Department announced on June 3rd that it hired Thomas as its first chief of staff. She was scheduled to begin her new role on June 28, and would be responsible for the police department’s budget, community engagement, continuous improvement, and management initiatives.
Comments