Not only should we question the GRPD’s role in the death of Cortez McConer Jr, we should not allow Chief Winstrom to control the public narrative

Last Friday, numerous local news agencies reported that they had found the body of the missing teen, Cortez McConer Jr. GRPD Chief Eric Winstrom attempted to re-direct any responsibility that his department had anything to do with the cause of the teen’s death.

A relative of Cortez said last week in a statement:

“So, now, it boils down to GRPD doing their reporting to the news agencies. You know, it is so much more easier to point the finger than to acknowledge the media bias that is so evident.”

Chief Winstrom didn’t stop trying to dictate the narrative once the missing teen’s body was found. Early on Monday, MLive reported that there was going to be a vigil later that day at Godwin Heights High School, in honor of Cortez McConer Jr. However, Chief Winstrom could not resist another opportunity to control the narrative and center himself and the Grand Rapids Police Deaprtment, since he was the dominant source used in the MLive article and had the last word. 

“This is not the outcome we had hoped for. On behalf of GRPD, we send our heartfelt condolences to Cortez’s family and friends and the many in our community who will be grieving alongside them.”

Of course, MLive chose to give space for Winstrom, but they, like Winstrom, need to stop center the voices of cops instead of centering the voices of those most impacted by the teen’s death.

WOODTV8 also made the decision to center Chief Winstrom instead of family and friends during their coverage of the vigil later Monday night. While channel 8 did airtime to the Godwin Heights High School Principal, in the online story version they gave substantial space to Chief Winstrom, who ends his comments by saying, “Although it doesn’t bring back Cortez, obviously, it does sort of make you reflect on the fact that there was nothing that we could have done sooner that would have made a difference in the case.”

It is unacceptable for news agencies decision to continue to provide an open platform for the GRPD. It is equally unacceptable for the GRPD to continue to insert themselves in these situations, without taking any responsibility for creating a social climate where the community, particularly Black and Brown communities, fears for their safety around the GRPD. Chief Winstrom needs to stop inserting himself, read the room, and make sure that grieving families and friends get to create the narrative. Unfortunately, we know the GRPD won’t quit trying to control the narrative around public safety, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t expose them, nor does it mean that we can’t create our own counter-narratives. Community care, not cops!