With the fall semester coming to a close, the Department of Public Safety’s Chief Daniel Lindstrom sat down with the Lanthorn to reflect on what led him from the FBI to GVSU, and his first three months in the role.
For Lindstrom, this fall has presented unique rewards and challenges. Ultimately, he says he is happy to be here, and has enjoyed collaborative efforts between his department and other University officials.
Lindstrom’s path to GVSU started with 22 years in the FBI, during which he served in numerous positions across the country and globe. During this time, Lindstrom led the FBI’s campus security program, a post that primed him for further university work. In this role, he oversaw roughly 160 agents across the country and coordinated security at major events.
“One of our goals was to prevent the theft of research,” Lindstrom said. “We also worked counterintelligence and counterterrorism while preventing incidents of mass violence.”
Lindstrom also worked in higher education before his time at GVSU, serving as an adjunct professor at Marymount University, just outside Washington D.C., and the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP). He also received a doctorate in education from Virginia Commonwealth University.
Lindstrom remembers his numerous roles in the FBI with a particular fondness. He spent considerable time as the special agent in charge for the FBI in Los Angeles, one of the country’s most populated and busy corridors. In this role, he was in charge of internal affairs, compliance, training, media and public relations. He also worked on undercover operations.
One of Lindstrom’s favorite roles was working with the FBI’s stagehand program, which creates front companies and undercover backstories to protect agents in clandestine operations.
“We had mechanisms in place to build undercover backstories,” Lindstrom said. “It took me from Iraq to East Africa and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. I’ve had the opportunity to work from LA to D.C. and Texas to Puerto Rico.”
Lindstrom briefly addressed his time as an interrogator in Guantanamo Bay, which he views as having been beneficial to national security.
“It was kind of intriguing to be involved with,” Lindstrom said. “There is a lot of controversy involving the United States’ use of (Guantanamo Bay). In the end, we got a lot of intelligence that helped to mitigate threats to our country and our allies.”
The move to police chief may seem less flashy than some of the previous stops in Lindstrom’s long career. Still, Lindstrom sees his current role as fitting nicely with his previous experience in higher education.
“I wouldn’t say it was natural, but it was an easy fit,” Lindstrom said. “There were parallels. I liked working with students and working on campuses. That was an aspect of my background that planted the seed of me wanting to come here.”
During his time as an adjunct professor at UTEP, Lindstrom started thinking about what other university-related opportunities might be out there. He also previously managed the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force in West Texas, which included numerous university police officers he came to know well.
“We responded to issues that would arise on campuses,” Lindstrom said. “Through that, I got exposure to university officials and their police chiefs. I kept thinking that a university police role would be an interesting transition for me in the second half of my career.”
As far as his time at GVSU has gone, Lindstrom says his favorite aspect has been working collaboratively with the rest of the University’s departments and programs.
“I find it interesting to work with so many different departments and people across the University,” Lindstrom said. “I work with every department on this campus and every facility (campus) we have in the state. Being able to work across the totality of the University is exciting.”
Lindstrom said when he became police chief, he had to get a feel for things before establishing any specific goals. Still, he said one of his favorite accomplishments this year has been keeping home football games safe for attendees and players alike.
“It was rewarding when we finished the season without major incidents,” Lindstrom said. “It was the (public safety) team that accomplished that. These folks have it almost down to a science. This was all thanks to the cooperation with the Athletic Department (and) Facilities personnel, as well as (GVPD).”
Still, no job is all positive, and Lindstrom acknowledged that. He described the September stabbing and other incidents involving non-students as particularly unfortunate.
“We had considerable negative press due to criminality,” Lindstrom said. “We had to submit a timely warning over the stabbing that occurred. This was regrettable, as were the car thefts, break-ins and violent incidents.”
In his role as chief of police, Lindstrom is excited to continue to grow and address campus safety.
“I think it’s going to be a continuous learning curve,” Lindstrom said. “I’m comfortable but I am always learning. I look forward to applying that knowledge going forward.”
His primary goal is to fix significant staffing shortages, an issue he brought to the Board of Trustees in October.
“We want to be as responsive and proactive as possible, and that means having more officers available to assist on campus,” Lindstrom said. “I want to work collaboratively to further that goal.”
Lindstrom plans to stay at the University for some time. Having grown up in Wisconsin, he sees this role as close to his roots.
“At this point, this is where I want to be,” Lindstrom said. “I have a young family and we want stability. I’ve lived all over, but I look forward to staying here. I don’t see this as a short-term stepping stone.”
