Overview of Position
The Chief of Police oversees all administrative and operational functions of the Police Department, including strategic planning, policy development, and compliance with local, state, and federal laws. This role collaborates with the Director of Public Safety to manage budgets, pursue funding opportunities, and optimize resources such as personnel, equipment, and facilities. The ideal candidate is a visionary leader who ensures operational excellence, cultivates department growth, and maintains a proactive, collaborative approach to public safety and community involvement.
Essential Job Functions
The following are illustrative of the duties and responsibilities associated with this position and are not intended to be all-encompassing. This job description is subject to change by the Director of Public Safety as the Town's needs and requirements of the job change.
- Responsible for planning, implementing, developing, and/or organizing administrative and operational needs for the Police Department, such as: reviewing complaints and reports, oversight of data management, and determination of any administrative or operational changes.
- Collaborate with the Director of Public Safety to prepare, implement, and manage the department budget and capital plans. Such duties will include regularly monitoring the status of the budget, partnering with department leadership to seek out grants and other applicable funding sources, and recommending changes regarding expenditures as necessary for personnel, equipment, fleet, facility, procurement, etc.
- Responsible for oversight, preparation, and maintenance of operational policies, standard operating procedures, and officer training(s) to ensure compliance for local, state, and federal laws and regulations.
- Lead community engagement efforts for the department and positively interact with the public. As appropriate, attend public events and meetings. Provide necessary information to inform and protect the public, including oversight of effective use of social media and press releases.
- Maintain professional working-relationships with town leadership and municipal departments, other law enforcement agencies, elected officials, and the public to clearly and effectively communicate departmental updates. Manage expectations of changing comprehensive operational needs for Town Manager and the Milton Town Selectboard, as needed.
- Effectively manage and mentor department leadership to ensure continuity of operations, cultivate upward mobility throughout the department, and ensure departmental structure remains appropriate for current and future operational needs.
- Ensure personnel are effectively supported by monitoring and evaluating management within the department. Duties may include counseling employees about work performance, reviewing internal and/or external training needs, facilitating disciplinary action, as necessary, etc.
- Prepare and maintain a wide variety of records and reports, including insurance liability issues, and ensures that they conform to local, state, and federal requirements.
- Appropriately interpret and apply the provisions of the collective bargaining agreement and ensure alignment with the department’s standard operating procedures.
- Respond to emergency events and critical incidents, as needed, which will require remaining a certified law enforcement officer as defined by the Vermont Criminal Justice Council and 20 V.S.A., Chapter 151, as amended.
Detailed Expectations
Supervision Received: The Chief of Police is statutorily appointed by the Town Manager and Milton
Town Selectboard, who have delegated general supervision to the Director of Public Safety.
Supervision Exercised: Administrative and functional supervision, directly and indirectly, of seventeen
(17) full-time employees.
Education or Formal Training: Must currently be a Level III full-time certified law enforcement officer as defined by the Vermont Criminal Justice Council and 20 V.S.A., Chapter 151, as amended. An undergraduate degree in Criminal Justice, Public Administration, or a related field preferred; however, appropriate law enforcement and police leadership experience can substitute for education.
Experience: A minimum of ten (10) years' experience in a full-time Vermont law enforcement agency, with at least five (5) years of leadership experience in a command or supervisory position.
Residency: Reside within a twenty-five (25) mile and/or thirty (30) minute response time of the Milton
Police Department.
Background Check: Applicant must successfully complete a background check, including a mandatory polygraph examination, as required by Rule 17 of the Vermont Criminal Justice Council, along with any additional requirements per the Town of Milton.
Equipment: Take-home police vehicle, handgun, shotgun, rifle, deterrent spray, conductive weapon, telephone, computer, copier, fax, calculator, portable radio, and/or other typical police equipment and office equipment.
Working Environment: Work is primarily performed in an office environment; however, this position will be required to respond to emergency and non-emergency events, as needed. This position is expected to perform physical activities consistent with regular policing. This encompasses degrees of physical force from moderate to extreme. Intermittent demanding physical activity is required involving standing, running, and exposure to serious physical danger.
The Town of Milton is an equal employment opportunity employer. All personnel transactions are based on merit and job-related qualifications without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, religion, age, veteran status, or disability status (except when any of these factors is a bona fide occupational qualification).
