GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A Grand Rapids Police officer who was charged with recklessly discharging his firearm during an on-foot pursuit back in December was found not guilty.
The verdict happened within an hour on September 2, Friday evening. The jury found that officer Gregory Bauer did not commit the misdemeanor that the Kent County District Attorney's Office had been pushing for.
GRPD Chief Eric Winstrom spoke with the media from his office following the decision, praising Bauer as an upstanding officer. He even noted that he was Officer of the Year for the department back in 2020.
"I know this has been a long journey for him," Winstrom said. "I know he respects the justice system, and we were interested to see how this all played out. But I know Greg's really – I think he's really excited to get this behind him and move on in the time that I've been here."
Following the charge, Bauer had been working for the department in an administrative capacity. Winstrom said after a review with internal affairs that is expected to be expedited, Bauer could return to policing within two weeks.
Winstrom was relieved that no one was injured from the discharge. And since the incident resulted from a mistake and wasn't related to the officer's moral character, Bauer's employment status was never in question after the decision.
Despite not being chief at the time of the incident, Winstrom said the incident led to a review of the training offered to officers. Today, he describes the firearm training that officers go through as "extremely robust." He also added that it factors issues like accidental discharge.
"Officer Bauer himself has gone through dozens and dozens of hours of retraining to make sure that he's up to the best possible standards," the chief said. "He's an Army veteran – he's got a real positive attitude. I know, he wants to make a, you know, a positive difference in the city, and we're gonna see where we can best plug him in to make that difference."
Winstrom said he does not believe the decision will affect the department's relationship with the DA's Office.
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