Following a nationwide search, Grand Valley State University selected FBI veteran Daniel Lindstrom in June as the next director of public safety and chief of police.
Administrators narrowed their search to three finalists in early June and hosted open forums with the candidates for community feedback. Within the month, Lindstrom was chosen and is set to assume the position in August. He is now the seventh police chief in the Grand Valley Police Department’s 56-year history.
In his two-decade career at the FBI, he most recently served as assistant special agent in charge in Los Angeles. Prior to his Bureau position at the Los Angeles office, Lindstrom served as an FBI campus security manager. In his role, Lindstrom instituted national regulatory compliance measures, as well as campus safety practices for over 3,000 higher education programs across the nation. He’s also overseen the FBI’s national protest response and served as the Bureau’s Department of Homeland Security senior liason.
During his time as an adjunct faculty member at the University of Texas at El Paso and Marymount University, he developed curriculum and lectured on national security. He holds a Doctor of Education degree from Virginia Commonwealth University and a law degree from the University of Wisconsin.
In his cover letter, made public through the feedback process, Lindstrom said he is passionate about community-oriented, values-based policing.
“I view this role not only as an opportunity to lead a department but to invest in the professional development of aspiring officers and contribute to the academic mission of the University,” Lindstrom wrote. “I am deeply aligned with GVSU’s vision for a compassionate, student-centered public safety model that reflects national best practices and the University’s core values.”
Former Chief of Police Brandon DeHaan, employed by GVPD in 1983 and chief since 2018, announced his retirement in February. Captain Leah Heaton assumed an interim role while administrators and University stakeholders worked with executive search firm Spelman Johnson to find a new chief.
Lindstrom’s duties will include managing safety operations and planning on GVSU’s campuses, including Allendale, Grand Rapids and other regional locations in Michigan. He will be responsible for ensuring compliance with state, local and federal law in a way consistent with the University’s expectations and values.
