About This Position
Position Announcement
POLICE CHIEF
Phoenix Police Department
The City of Phoenix seeks highly qualified applicants to be the next Police Chief. Applicants must be committed to professional, ethical, and accountable policing, and have extensive experience implementing contemporary policing principles and professional best practices.
The person chosen for this position must be able to inspire the confidence and trust of the City's diverse communities and the department's Sworn and professional staff. The successful candidate will be able to form and lead strong, effective teams; develop efficient administrative processes that support the organization's mission; grow and strengthen the agency; delegate responsibility; solve problems quickly; communicate clearly; and be committed to continuous organizational improvement all while never losing sight of the ultimate goal: to deliver exceptional police service; to work collaboratively with our community and our employees as a unified team to foster the highest level of trust and safety; and to value, support, and invest in our employees.
The City of Phoenix is a full-service city and the largest in the United States with a council-manager form of government. There are 14,500 city employees, including seven employee unions and associations, and a total City budget of $7.2 billion, featuring enterprise, special revenue, and general funds. The Phoenix City Council is comprised of a Mayor and eight Council members. Each Council member is elected by the people of their district to a four-year term. The Mayor is elected at-large. The City Manager is appointed by the Mayor and City Council and is responsible for the city's day-to-day management and operations, including overseeing more than 30 departments and managing the City's finances and budget.
The person chosen for this position must be able to inspire the confidence and trust of the City's diverse communities and the department's staff of more than 1,300 professional staff and 2,500 police officers, which is anticipated to grow to 3,125 sworn positions as authorized by the budget. The operating budget for FY 2024/25 is $981 million. In addition to the Police Chief, department leadership includes two Executive Assistant Chiefs who oversee the Operations Section and the Administration, Accountability and Transparency Section, and six Assistant Chiefs. Patrol operations fall within the Operations Section and are distributed among seven precincts.
On August 5, 2021, DOJ's Civil Rights Division opened a "pattern or practice" investigation of the Phoenix Police Department. In January 2024, the City of Phoenix issued a report to DOJ, titled The Road to Reform , to present information on the various ways in which Phoenix and the PPD have proactively launched an extraordinary wave of reforms, the scope of which may well be unsurpassed in the 30 years of the DOJ's pattern-or-practice program. DOJ issued its findings on June 13, 2024, and the City is in discussion with DOJ about next steps. Regardless of what happens with the DOJ, the City of Phoenix is committed to continuous improvement and is actively developing a plan to illustrate how it intends to continue to improve public safety.
These circumstances offer a unique opportunity to the next police chief to further develop a culture of continuous improvement. The Phoenix Police Department is committed to constitutional and effective policing using evidence-based, innovative public safety strategies that rebuild legitimacy and community trust in the organization. The next chief has an opportunity to lead that ongoing organizational transformation and improvement.
The Police Chief is appointed by the City Manager and reports directly to the Assistant City Manager.
This position requires a bachelor's degree and progressively responsible experience in modern police work in a variety of police functions, including a minimum of five years of major command responsibilities. The city will consider candidates with an equivalent combination of education and experience, provided they have the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the job. Additional specialized education, such as the Senior Management Institute for Police (SMIP) or the FBI National Academy, is desirable. The chosen candidate must possess current AZPOST certification or have the ability to obtain certification within one year of hire, and will be required to reside within Phoenix city limits within 24 months after the date of hire. The successful candidate will be subject to a thorough background investigation.
The chosen candidate must possess current AZPOST certification or have the ability to obtain certification within one year of hire, and will be required to reside within Phoenix city limits within 24 months after the date of hire.
Compensation
Salary is up to $303,000 annually and will be commensurate with the qualifications and experience of the successful candidate. The city contributes 9% of salary into 457/401(a) plans with no matching required and offers a comprehensive Executive benefits package. For more details, visit: benefits . To view the brochure click here :
How To Apply
To be considered for this exceptional career opportunity, submit your resume, cover letter, and a list of five work-related references by Monday, January 27, 2025 to: PhoenixPC@policeforum.org
The Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) is assisting with this process. Any questions should be directed to:
Rebecca Neuburger, rcneuburger@gmail.com , (202)997-6287 or
Antoinette Tull, antoinette@hurtlellc.com .
