Grand Valley State University recently hired Renee Freeman to take over as the new director of Public Safety and police chief. Freeman is currently working as a lieutenant in the Grand Haven Department of Public Safety, where she has spent 27 years working her way up from an officer position. She also spent 14 years at GVSU’s Police Academy, working mainly as an adjunct faculty, but also held the position of academy director for one of those years. Freeman earned a bachelor of arts degree in criminal justice from GVSU in 2004 and will officially begin her duties Sept. 30 to replace Barb Bergers, who retired in June.