After a nationwide search, Grand Valley has named a veteran FBI agent as the university’s director of public safety and police chief.
Daniel Lindstrom will serve as the department's seventh chief in its 56-year history. Lindstrom joins the Grand Valley Police Department after a two-decade-long career in law enforcement with the FBI, most recently as the assistant special agent in charge in Los Angeles. Lindstrom will take over his new role in August.
As director of public safety and police chief, Lindstrom will oversee safety operations and safety planning on GVSU's Valley Campus in Allendale, its City Campus in Grand Rapids and its regional campuses across the state.
“Special Agent Lindstrom has an extensive and varied law enforcement background with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and will bring tremendous interagency experience and perspective to the Grand Valley Police Department,” said Greg Sanial, vice president for Finance and Administration at GVSU. “I was impressed with his thoughtful approach and professional insight during the interview process and am confident he and his family will be a welcome addition to the police department and the entire Grand Valley State University community.”
In his role as an assistant special agent in charge, Lindstrom was responsible for managing operational and administrative responsibilities, including investigation, crisis management and compliance oversight.
Before that, Lindstrom served as a campus security program manager with the FBI. In that role, he developed national regulatory compliance measures for campus safety practices and led threat-mitigation efforts for 3,000 higher education institutions across the country.
He also developed protocols and training programs tailored to the unique security needs of academic institutions, resulting in enhanced campus safety, compliance and readiness to respond to incidents.
“I'm honored to join Grand Valley State University as director of public safety and police chief,” Lindstrom said. “After a rewarding career with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, I’m excited to continue serving others and contributing to the safety and well-being of the GVSU community. I also look forward to getting to know the greater Grand Rapids area, which I've heard so many great things about.”
Lindstrom holds a law degree from the University of Wisconsin Law School and an Education Doctorate from Virginia Commonwealth University.
