There’s going to be a new chief of police in town.

Ryan Grim, who served as a lieutenant and acting patrol captain for the Marquette City Police Department, was appointed Monday as the city’s chief of police and harbor master by the Marquette City Commission. Grim’s appointment will take effect on April 11.

“I think this decision is the perfect decision for the city, and I’m excited to see what you do leading this department,” Marquette City Commissioner Jessica Hanley said to Grim at Monday night’s meeting of the Marquette City Commission.

Grim graduated with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Northern Michigan University in 2000. He graduated from NMU’s Regional Police Academy in 2001, where he was the recipient of the Distinguished Peer Award and Physical Fitness award. In the same year, he was hired at the Marquette City Police Department.

In 2004, Grim was awarded a Meritorious Service Award for water rescue. In 2005, he was chosen as the department’s Patrol Officer of the Year and earned a Lifesaving Award for his actions during a fatal apartment fire.

Grim is currently the president of the Police Accreditation Coalition, a Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police’s Michigan Law Enforcement accreditation assessor and is a member of the Michigan Municipal League’s Law Enforcement Action Forum.

Grim follows in the footsteps of Blake Rieboldt, who has been chief of police and harbor master since 2015. Rieboldt was presented plaques at the meeting from the Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police Accreditation and the Northern Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police, as well as a certificate of appreciation by Marquette City Manager Karen Kovacs on behalf the city.

“I’m incredibly proud of the current and past leadership of the department, but especially of Chief Rieboldt, who had been motivated and has fostered the growth and professionalism of this phenomenal department,” Kovacs said.

We agree with Kovacs. The Marquette City Police Department has — during a period laden with controversies and challenges for law enforcement — made notable efforts during Rieboldt’s tenure to be transparent and accountable. It has refined its policies, procedures and documents to lay out specific courses of actions and responsibilities for given situations.

For example, the department received accreditation from the Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police’s Michigan Law Enforcement Accreditation Commission, making it the first law enforcement agency in the Upper Peninsula to receive the accreditation.

The agency was first accredited in 2019 with Grim and Lt. Mark Wuori leading the process as accreditation managers.

This accreditation process was no small task, and we here at the Journal saw firsthand the hard work that Grim, Rieboldt, Wuori and everyone with the Marquette City Police Department put into the process.

Grim’s dedication to gaining and maintaining accreditation for the police department shows he has a strong interest in upholding the values of accountability, transparency, consistency and professionalism in police work, which are critical to maintaining public trust and public safety.

We congratulate Grim on his appointment and Rieboldt on his retirement. Their service and dedication to the community are shining examples of how law enforcement can promote and maintain public trust.