Summary
Job Description
The Chief of Police is ultimately responsible for every facet in the operation of the Police Department and Law Enforcement action within their jurisdiction. The Chief of Police ensures that the department is adequately manned, staffed, equipped trained and disciplined for the detection, prevention and suppression of crime and the equitable enforcement of all city, state and federal laws within their jurisdiction while conforming to all applicable rules regulating the operation of the police department and law enforcement activities. Law enforcement procedures, city, state and federal laws, rules and regulations as well as City personnel rules and regulations govern this position.
The Police Chief is responsible for providing leadership and direction to all Police operations/services within the City by establishing goals and objectives within the policy directives set by the City Council/City Manager and assisting subordinate managers in developing and implementing procedures to accomplish departmental goals and objectives.
Essential Duties And Responsibilities
NOTE: This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive. Employees may perform other related duties as negotiated to meet the ongoing needs of the organization.
- Focus on and promote the strategies of the City by inspiring staff to accomplish departmental strategies and goals.
- Ensure the Department’s adherence to the values that guide the City and the Department.
- Oversee all activities within the Department; collaborates with staff in the development of policies and procedures of the Department; assigns, motivates, counsel and evaluates employee performance; conducts disciplinary conferences when required; ensures proper training for all unit personnel.
- Recruits, selects and oversees the training of civilian and sworn personnel for the department; advises, directs, and consults with subordinate officers on matters of training, work assignments and scheduling, work performance, promotions, and discipline.
- Meets with supervisory staff on a regular basis to clarify mission and objectives, build a sense of team within the department, insure that all are informed, and obtain input on decisions and issues.
- Prepares and recommends annual budget in consultation with the Manager; supervises and participates in the application for grants.
- Receives and ensures the appropriate investigation of complaints from the public concerning police activities and services.
- Leads all departmental personnel through the use of effective leadership skills; establishing policy; setting priorities; evaluating the department and its personnel.
- Evaluates organization structure, programs, priorities, staff assignments, current philosophies, resource allocation, policies, procedures and goals and makes improvements; researches and identifies criminal, traffic, and other enforcement and prevention needs and implements remedial action.
- Supervises the preparation of periodic reports of crime and accident activity and police department activities in relationship to this information; analyzes data for trends.
- Works with the public on difficult or unusual crime situations; cooperates with other law enforcement agencies in crime prevention, detection, and investigative activities.
- Promotes the department’s work and goals to the general public through individual contact and addresses to civic groups, school groups, and other organizations. Develops emergency response plans and oversees their implementation during emergency situations.
- Supervises patrol, emergency response, criminal investigations, and administrative functions within the department. Completes mandatory state and federal in-service training.
- Performs the duties of any subordinate in their absence or when immediate action is warranted.
- Performs other duties as assigned.
Required Education And/or Experience
Requires a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, public administration, or other relevant field, and minimum of 10 years of progressive law enforcement experience across functional areas such as patrol, internal affairs, administration, investigations, etc. to include 5-7 years of executive-level experience at the rank of Captain or higher; or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Must possess current advanced NC LE certification or be eligible to acquire. Executive law enforcement training are preferred.
Transfers: In-state candidates may transfer their law enforcement officer certification to another agency in NC provided he/she has less than a three-year break in service at time of appointment. In-state candidates with less than a three-year break in NC service may receive partial credit toward basic law enforcement training. Out of state candidates, who are serving or have served as a local or state law enforcement officer must have successfully completed a basic law enforcement training course accredited by the state from which they are transferring and cannot have a break in full-time service exceeding three years at the time of appointment. Individuals with Federal law enforcement officer certification who have not had a break in service exceeding three years at the time of appointment may receive partial credit toward NC basic law enforcement training. NC does recognize and give partial credit for military police (MP) training if the candidate has completed a formal military basic training program and been awarded a military police occupational specialty rating and has served as a military police officer for not less than two of the five years preceding the date of appointment.
Special Requirements
- NIMS ICS (100, 200, 700 & 800)
- NIMS ICS-300 Intermediate and NIMS ICS 400 Advanced Preferred
Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities
- Extensive knowledge of law enforcement principles, practices, methods and equipment. Extensive knowledge of the ever changing state and federal laws, local ordinances and policies of the police department and the City, especially relating to the mandatory state regulations in managing a police department.
- Thorough knowledge of modern and effective leadership practices of motivation, communication, counseling, discipline, performance evaluation, and collaborative problem solving.
- Thorough knowledge of the National Incident Management System and Incident Command System.
- Considerable knowledge of scientific crime detection and criminal identification methods and procedures.
- Considerable knowledge of computers including the use of specified police computer programs.
- Considerable knowledge of the relationship between administrative investigations and criminal investigations.
- Skill in the use of conflict resolution strategies and facilitation of meetings.
- Skill in the use of firearms and other police equipment and in the application of self-defense tactics.
- Ability to effectively and efficiently manage a department including all related administrative and supervisory functions (including personnel and budget administration).
- Ability to provide vision and clarify mission and to lead and inspire confidence among subordinate officers; skill in team building, counseling, coaching, motivation, communication, and performance evaluation with subordinates.
- Ability to act with sound judgment and direct others in routine and emergency situations.
- Ability to plan and direct special programs and events related to law enforcement.
- Ability to prepare clear and concise activity reports.
- Ability to build and maintain cooperative and effective working relations with the public, co-workers, and public officials.
Physical Requirements
Must be able to perform sedentary work exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects Must be able to physically perform the basic life operational functions of balancing, reaching, standing, walking, pushing, pulling, fingering, talking, hearing, and repetitive motions.. Must possess the visual acuity to compile data and statistics, operate a computer, proof read materials, and do extensive reading
Working Conditions
Although work is primarily administrative in nature, the employee is always subject to the usual hazards of law enforcement work. Employee is exposed to both inside and outside working conditions in all types of weather from extremes of cold and heat to rain/snow/ice as well as varying terrain from streets, dense foliage, dark buildings, and water. Employee may be exposed to noise which would cause the worker to shout in order to be heard above the ambient noise level. Work place conditions include operating vehicles for extended periods of time, working varied hours and shifts, and confronting violent persons many of whom have criminal records with little to no respect for law enforcement or who may be a threat to themselves or others. Work requires application of safety precautions and wearing of protective clothing, gloves, and body armor designed to minimize exposure to blood-borne pathogens, communicable diseases, and bodily harm.
Health, Dental And Vision Insurance
The City of Washington provides,
at no cost, employee only coverage for Medical (High-Deductible with H.S.A), Vision and Dental insurance. Coverage is available for all regular status full-time employees scheduled to work 40 hours. Employees may also choose to cover eligible dependents. Benefits begin on the 1st day of the month following 30 days of employment.
Paid Life Insurance
The City provides $15,000 of term life insurance and $15,000 of accident death insurance to all full-time employees at no cost. Employees may elect additional coverage, including dependent coverage, at their own cost.
Employer Paid Leave
Paid Vacation: Full-Time employees earn 8 hours of vacation leave per month. Leave accruals increase based on the number of years of City service.
(Ex: at 5 years increases to 10 hours per month)
Paid Holidays: The City of Washington observes 13 paid holidays per calendar year. The approved holidays are New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veteran's Day, 2 days at Thanksgiving and 3 days at Christmas.
Sick: Full-Time employees earn 8 hours of sick leave per month (Fire Personnel earn 14.15 hours). Sick leave hours accumulate without limits and may be used toward credible service upon retirement from the NC Local Government Retirement System.
Retirement
The City assists our employees in securing their financial future during retirement by participating in the Local Governmental Employees' Retirement System, administered by the State of North Carolina. Regular status employees, scheduled to work 20 hours or more per week, become members in the retirement system upon employment. As a member of this system, employees are required to contribute 6 percent of their gross salary on a tax-deferred basis.
Deferred Compensation Plans
To further assist employees in saving for retirement, the City offers two supplemental retirement savings programs. These programs offer employees an opportunity to save a portion of their salary on a tax-deferred basis to supplement their retirement benefit. The programs offered are 401(k) Supplemental Retirement Income Plan and the 457 Plan through Prudential.
Cafeteria Plan / Supplemental Benefits
Realizing that each employee may have different insurance needs, the City offers its employees the opportunity to supplement City-provided benefits by selecting from the benefits listed below. These benefits are offered at employee's expense through payroll deduction:
- Supplemental Term Life Insurance
- Cancer Insurance
- Accident Insurance
- Critical Illness Insurance
- Whole Life Insurance
- Disability Insurance
- Healthcare and Dependent Care Reimbursement Account (Pre-tax basis)
Death Benefit
After one year as a contributing member of the Retirement System, a death benefit is provided that is equal to the highest 12 months' salary in a row during the 24 months before death, no less than $25,000 and no more than $50,000. There is no cost to the employee for these benefits.
Pay Periods/Direct Deposit
City employees are paid bi-weekly, every other Friday through direct deposit.
Full benefit details may be viewed here: https://mymarkiii.com/cityofwashingtonnc/booklet
