POSITION SUMMARY
The City of Beaufort, SC is seeking an experienced and visionary Police Chief to lead a high performing and respected Police Department. The Police Chief will provide dynamic, transparent leadership to the Department and within the community, prioritizing building trust with residents and public safety personnel. The ideal candidate will embrace the highly visible nature of the role and will proactively develop and maintain community policing policies and initiatives that strengthen the relationship between the department and the citizens they serve. The Police Chief will ensure that the Department maintains its reputation of being a highly responsive, diverse department with staff who are an active part of the community.
The Police Chief will exhibit integrity and ethical leadership, knowledge of effective policing strategies, such as Community Policing and 21st Century Policing, and expertise in developing appropriate policies and procedures that will positively affect the Department as it works to meet the City’s strategic goals for public safety. Experience addressing complex issues requiring collaboration and partnerships to resolve, like homelessness, could be particularly of interest.
The Police Chief reports directly to the City Manager.
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AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY
- Develops the vision and mission for the department in addition to department plans for delivering the highest quality and community responsive police services.
- Establishes, evaluates, and communicates annual goals and objectives for the police department.
- Communicates with the media and the public on critical police incidents and various other matters of public interests; serves as the right to know officer for the Police Department.
- Meets with entities within the City and the community regarding matters that involve public safety or the police department and require a proactive approach to resolving issues.
- Makes recommendations regarding City Ordinances on matters subject to enforcement by police or as directed by the City Manager.
- Remains abreast of any changes in laws, regulations, policies, and procedures; interprets new laws, ordinances, rules, and regulations for subordinates and ensures compliance where necessary.
- Builds and maintains partnerships with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies and various other organizations.
- Ensures effective technology solutions by identifying technology needs in the Police Department; stays current on new technology developments; determines strategy for rolling out new technology solutions to the Police Department personnel.
- Establishes a standard to ensure all staff operate with modern 21st century policing practices and trends consistent with the vision and direction of the City.
- Reviews and evaluates work methods and procedures and meets with command staff to identify and resolve problems.
- Assesses and monitors workload, identifies opportunities for improvement and implements changes.
- Selects, trains, motivates, and evaluates personnel; provides or coordinates staff training; works with employees to correct deficiencies; and implements discipline and termination procedures.
- Oversees and participates in the development of organization-wide and administration of various departmental budgets; approves the forecast of funds needed for staffing, equipment, materials, and supplies, approves expenditures, and implements budgetary adjustments as appropriate and necessary.
- Coordinates with other City departments regarding matters of public safety.
QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice or related field is required for consideration; graduate degree, such as a Master of Public Administration, is preferred.
- Ten (10) or more years of progressively responsible experience in a police department, including five (5) or more years of supervisory or management experience is required for consideration. An equivalent combination of education, certification, training, and/or experience may also be considered for those who don’t meet the education or years of experience requirements.
- Completion of command-level schools such as FBI National Academy, Southern Police Institute, or equivalent is desired.
- CJIS Criminal History certification is required.
- Experience with Munis and Spillman records management system is preferred; experience with other similar systems is acceptable for consideration.
- Experience developing and managing budgets and considering changing departmental needs in determining how resources are utilized is required for consideration.
- Exceptional communication skills, to include written communication as well as public speaking, are required.
- Experience implementing community policing best practices and 21st century policing practices and policies is required for consideration.
Selected candidate will be required to obtain and maintain certification with the South Carolina Justice Training Academy and complete the South Carolina Justice Training Academy’s Police Chief’s Workshop within 6 months of hire. Candidates must also obtain and/or maintain a valid SC Driver’s License.
COMPENSATION
The anticipated compensation range for this position is $100,000 to $120,000, depending upon qualifications of the selected candidate. The salary offered is complimented by comprehensive benefits offerings to include medical, dental, and vision benefits, employee wellness programs, and participation in the Police Officer Retirement System (PORS), a retirement program for South Carolina police officers and qualifying fire personnel.
