Grand Haven Department of Public Safety

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Grand Haven, MI
Grand Haven Department of Public Safety

The Grand Haven Department of Public Safety provides Law Enforcement, Fire and Emergency Medical Services.

The Grand Haven Department of Public Safety (GHDPS) provides comprehensive police and fire services to the community 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The agency responds to approximately 10,000 police-related calls for service annually and supports numerous community events through traffic safety, crowd management, and security operations. In addition to traditional law enforcement duties, all officers are cross-trained as firefighters, enabling them to respond to medical emergencies and fire incidents, accounting for an additional 1,900 + calls for service each year. GHDPS officers work twelve-hour shifts, with each officer scheduled for seven shifts during a two-week pay period. One officer is assigned to staff the fire apparatus while the remaining officers operate from patrol vehicles, performing both police and fire duties within one of four designated districts. The department operates on a four-team structure, consisting of two day shifts and two night shifts, each under the direct supervision of a sergeant.

09/15/2026

Happy Tuesday, Grand Haven!

It’s another Training Tuesday at Grand Haven Public Safety!

Training days allow one half of our department to train while the other half remains committed to serving our city, answering calls, and patrolling our community.

Every day, our officers give their best to Grand Haven. They continue to train, learn, and sharpen their skills while staying committed to maintaining and excelling in all of the disciplines that make us a cross-trained Public Safety Department.

The work doesn’t stop when the call volume slows down, we use every opportunity we can to become better prepared for the next call.

Train hard. Serve well. Keep Grand Haven safe.

09/14/2026

Mark your calendars - Fire Prevention Week™ is October 4-10!

Since 1922, the NFPA has sponsored Fire Prevention Week to help families and communities stay safe.

This year's campaign, "Charge Into Fire Safety™: Safe Charging Is a Superpower!," focuses on the everyday charging habits that can help reduce the risk of lithium-ion battery fires and keep homes and communities safer.

Join us at our Fire Prevention Open House on September 30th from 5:30–7:00 PM for valuable emergency preparedness tips, hands-on learning, and fun for the whole family. We look forward to seeing you there!

09/11/2026

September 11, 2001
We Remember.

Twenty-five years later, we still remember where we were, who we lost, and the courage and sacrifice that followed one of the darkest days in our nation’s history.

Today, we honor the 2,977 innocent lives lost on September 11, 2001, and the countless first responders, military members, healthcare workers, and everyday Americans who answered the call to help.

We especially remember the 343 firefighters and 23 NYPD officers who made the ultimate sacrifice that day, along with the many others who have suffered lasting health effects from their service at Ground Zero.

As public safety professionals, we carry their example with us every day. We remember their courage, their commitment to others, and the reminder that we are stronger when we stand together.

Never Forget.

09/10/2026

Today, we officially swore in five new Public Safety Officers who are joining the Grand Haven Public Safety family!

Please help us welcome:
Officer Alexis Steele joins us from Petoskey Public Safety, bringing a few years of experience as a fully cross-trained Public Safety Officer. We are excited to welcome Alexis, her husband, and their son to the City of Grand Haven!

Officer Hemstreet graduated from the GVSU Police Academy and joins us with previous experience with St. Mary’s Security. A local resident, he brings valuable knowledge and experience to our department. We are excited to welcome him, his wife, and their two young children to the GHDPS family!

Officer Fles is also a local resident and joins us with previous experience in corrections with Ottawa County. He graduated from the GVSU Police Academy and brings additional knowledge and experience to our team. We are happy to welcome him and his wife to the agency!

Officer Pierce graduated from the GVSU Police Academy and brings a unique background in sales and customer service, along with valuable knowledge and experience that will serve him well in public safety.

Officer LaFleur graduated from the GVSU Police Academy and brings knowledge and experience from his time as a Kent County Corrections Officer. We are excited to welcome him and his family to our agency and the Grand Haven community!

These five officers will finish up their in-house training next week before hitting the streets for their first phase of Field Training Officer (FTO) training.

We are incredibly excited to have each of them join our team. They are not only joining a great department, but a community that truly supports and cares about its Public Safety Officers.

Please join us in welcoming Officers Steele, Hemstreet, LaFleur, Pierce, and Fles to Grand Haven Public Safety! We are glad to have you here!

09/08/2026

Think Labor Day means our busy season is over? Think again. We’re just getting started.

The city may be a little calmer with fewer people around, but for the men and women of Grand Haven Public Safety, this is when we put in the work behind the scenes.

So, what did we do today?

Hose testing: We removed hose from the Highland Hose Houses. Don’t worry, we have to test every section and then put it all back. And no, there was no elevator for us, just a lot of carrying hose up and down stairs!

Water Rescue Training: Our newest officers spent the day training with the Michigan DNR, building the skills they need to respond when someone’s worst day happens on the water.

Fi****ms Training: Our fi****ms instructors were also hard at work conducting department training to keep our officers proficient, prepared and safe.

Just because it looks like the city is slowing down doesn’t mean we are. In many ways, this is when the real work begins.

Our men and women use this time to train, learn, practice and build the knowledge and skills necessary to serve our community across all three disciplines: Police, Fire and EMS.

A huge thank-you to our fi****ms and water rescue instructors for putting together great training, and to our patrol staff for getting it done during training and while continuing to patrol and make sure Grand Haven receives the quality service our community deserves.

All in. That’s Tuesday’s work.

09/07/2026

Happy Labor Day from Grand Haven Public Safety!

Labor Day is more than just the unofficial end of summer. It is a day to recognize and celebrate the hard work, dedication, and contributions of workers who help keep our communities, businesses, families, and country moving forward.

We hope everyone has an opportunity this Labor Day to slow down, spend time with family and friends, relax, and enjoy the holiday.

To all of you who work behind the scenes, serve our community, build, teach, care for others, protect, respond, and keep things running, thank you for everything you do.

In observance of Labor Day, our administrative office will be closed Monday, September 7.

We will resume normal business hours on Tuesday, September 8.

Our lobby will remain open if you need to speak with an officer. Please use the call button in the lobby for assistance.

Non-Emergency: 1-800-249-0911
Emergency: 911

From all of us at Grand Haven Public Safety, have a safe, relaxing, and well-deserved Labor Day!

09/02/2026

This week has been a busy and exciting one as we kicked off three weeks of in-house training for our five newest officers!

Last week, four of our new officers graduated from the Grand Valley State University Police Academy and joined our team.

They are joined by lateral Public Safety Officer Alexis Steele, who comes to us from Petoskey Public Safety with nearly four years of fully cross-trained public safety experience.

We’re excited to welcome all five of them to the Grand Haven Public Safety family and look forward to showcasing each of our new officers throughout the upcoming weeks. These officers were hired to fill vacant positions and prepare for a future retirement.

Our goal is that by the time they hit the road, they won’t just be new officers—you’ll recognize them as familiar, friendly faces in our community.

Welcome to the City of Grand Haven! We’re glad you’re here!

08/28/2026

Stand Up for Others

Sometimes, standing up for someone doesn’t mean confronting a bully or having all the answers. Sometimes, it means speaking up and making sure someone knows they aren’t alone.

Our kids are growing up in a world where social media can become a 24/7 negative sounding board, and unfortunately, society can sometimes be a pretty mean place.

Students need a safe space to speak up, ask for help, and report concerns without feeling like they have to handle everything on their own.

That’s where OK2SAY Michigan comes in. OK2SAY provides students with a safe and confidential way to report threats, bullying, harassment, violence, mental health concerns, and other issues that may affect themselves, someone else or a school.

Parents, take a few minutes to talk with your kids about OK2SAY and make sure they know it’s an option. Sometimes the hardest part is simply knowing where to turn.

See something? Say something.

Worried about a friend? Speak up.

Threats on a school? Report it.

Need help? You don’t have to face it alone.

Let’s remind our kids that being kind is cool, standing up for others matters, and asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness.

Address

525 Washington Avenue
Grand Haven, MI
49417

Telephone

+16168423460

Website

http://www.grandhaven.org/

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