CITY OF BURLINGTON, VERMONT Chief of Police Salary in the United States

Applications received before March 6 will receive priority consideration.

This Department Head position is responsible for all aspects of efficient and effective operations of the Burlington Police Department and the provision of equitable and culturally competent police protection and service throughout the City. This role is highly visible and expected to be accessible. The position is also expected to work in collaboration with other City Department Heads and employees, City Councilors, collective bargaining unit members, residents and community partners to identify and resolve a wide range of varied issues within the Department, City government more broadly, and the community as a whole. The Chief of Police must demonstrate honesty and integrity both on and off the job.

The Ideal Candidate:

The Chief of Police will have a commitment to promoting public safety through fair, accountable, and effective policing and a track record of customer service, professionalism, integrity, and striving for the highest ideals of public service and personal conduct. This individual must be able to manage emergency situations, build credibility, and create a culture of accountability and respect within the Department by being fair, equitable, and willing and able to listen to staff, coworkers, and diverse community voices.

The ideal candidate will have a demonstrated history of innovative strategic planning, visionary thinking, and problem solving skills in the execution of state of the art police operations and community policing, enforcement practices, and staff development.  An ideal candidate would also be familiar with the utilization of current technology to obtain and analyze crime and other data for deployment and decision-making in a police-related environment.

This individual will be a visible leader with a genuine desire to become an active participant in the Burlington community and have a resolute commitment to developing long-term, collaborative, and respectful relationships within City government, with youth, and across the community, as well as a demonstrated record of success with outreach and public engagement in a racially and culturally diverse community setting.

The ideal candidate will be committed to innovation, continuous improvement driven by data, the principles and practices of 21st century policing, and earning and keeping the public trust. The Burlington Police Department's recent innovations in policing include, for example, being a leader in the City's response to the opioid epidemic. The ideal candidate will believe in a vision of public safety that includes initiatives such as this one.

• Direct and control the City's police force, subject to the Mayor's authority in case of emergency
• Plan, coordinate, and direct the activities of the Police Department
• Develop and direct the preparation of the Department's strategic plans, goals, and objectives for each organizational component, or unit, of the Department
• Ensure the enforcement of laws and municipal ordinances
• Plan and provide appropriate training for the City's police force
• Stay current with constitutional and other legal standards for police conduct
• Formulate the annual Departmental budget and exercise final authority over budget expenditures
• Direct the preparation and distribution of all internal and external reports
• Promote goodwill and public cooperation through presentations to civic, fraternal, and other organizations
• Establish policies and priorities, rules, and regulations for the Department that meet national and state standards for law enforcement policing agencies, and consistently review and update policies to ensure that they remain current and in conformance with changing operational needs and legal changes
• Staff and equip the Department by administering such functions as recruitment, promotions, training, discipline, evaluations, research and development, purchasing, and emergency communications
• Administer and manage the Department's physical and human resources to effectively provide service and protection to the citizens of Burlington
• Prepare and administer the Department budget; present the budget, modifications, and requests to City officials
• Be responsible for all expenditures made by the Department and ensure that they are in conformity with the standards promulgated by the City Council
• Ensure the proper administration of Department information technology systems
• Prepare or review the preparation of regular monthly and annual reports on Departmental operations and projects
• Direct investigations of rule and policy violation allegations and administer corrective action and discipline throughout the Department
• Represent the Department at meetings, on committees, task forces, and other bodies related to City projects; attend Department Head staff meetings and meetings with other public-safety agencies from both within and outside the structure of City government.
• Brief the Mayor, Police Commission, and City Council on Department operations, critical incidents, and developments which affect public safety
• Assign and review personnel assignments; issue policy; review performance and other reports to determine the effectiveness of the work performed by Departmental personnel
• Approve the qualifications of all police officers in conjunction with the City's personnel policies and appoint police officers
• Exercise or oversee the duties outlined in the City charter concerning investigation of allegations of incompetence, misconduct, or dereliction of duty of members of the police force Administer labor agreements and union contracts and provide appropriate input to the City's negotiating team during the collective bargaining process.
• Provide the public with a consistent high level of information regarding the operations, duties, responsibilities, activities, and programs of the Department
• Review and recommend municipal ordinances, which relate to public safety and propose additions or modifications as appropriate
• Represent the Department in press and community relations
• Work well with and keep the Police Commission appropriately informed
• Appropriately deal with ongoing, repetitive stress such that it does not interfere with job performance

Non-Essential Job Functions:

• Performs other duties as assigned by the Mayor

 Education & Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in Public Administration, Business Administration, Criminal Justice, Criminology, or related field from an accredited college or university required.  Master's or advanced degree strongly preferred. An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered
• Seven to 10 years of progressively responsible law enforcement management experience, with at least three to five years of experience in a command-level position is required.
• Significant patrol / direct uniformed service provision experience is preferred.
• Continuing professional development, such as attending the FBI National Academy or Senior Management Institute for Police or other similar course of study, is preferred. 
• Certification as police officer via the Vermont Criminal Justice Training Council required within 90 days of hiring or as soon as the VCJTC can accommodate a required training regimen (whichever is sooner).
• Experience working in a racially and culturally diverse community is required.
• Experience utilizing technology, and with innovative policing strategies and data-driven approaches to community safety to augment police operations, is required.
• Experience leading a department of comparable size is strongly preferred.
• Experience working with a large university population, student residences, and a vibrant downtown nightlife is preferred.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

Technology

• Strong background in IT systems and demonstrated effective use of technology in the law enforcement context
• Knowledge of and experience with data-driven decision making and evidence-based practice in criminal justice and policing

 Communication/Interpersonal Skills/Community Orientation

• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with employees, government agencies, and City Departments, non-profits, community, and private sector groups
• Ability to communicate clearly and concisely, in both oral and written formats
• Ability to speak and give presentations to large audiences and the media
• Ability to communicate effectively across different cultures
• Strong background in community relations, customer/citizen satisfaction, and community service

 Modern Law Enforcement

• Extensive knowledge of: modern principles, practices, and techniques of police administration, organization, and operations; criminal justice system; technical and management phases of law enforcement and crime prevention; and local government organization and administration is required.
• Knowledge of the principles and practices of law enforcement, police and public administration is required.
• Ability to adapt to a changing law enforcement operating environment.
• Thorough knowledge of and experience with community policing, partnering, and collaborative problem solving concepts is required.
• Knowledge of standards for law enforcement agencies is required.
• Knowledge of criminal and civil liability issues regarding law enforcement is required
• Thorough knowledge of Homeland Security issues is required.
• Knowledge of municipal, state and federal criminal and civil laws and codes is required.
   

 Operations/Administration

• Ability to diffuse and manage emergency situations.
• Working knowledge and demonstrated ability in the areas of labor relations, budget preparation, human resource management, and fiscal responsibility in the delivery of police services.
• Ability to lead a complex police organization
• Ability to understand and comply with City standards, safety rules and personnel policies.
• Ability to manage complex organizational and employee issues using solid judgment and the utmost level of the confidentiality, integrity and trustworthiness is required.
• Ability to prioritize work and problem solve to accomplish competing objectives while meeting deadlines is required.
• Regular attendance and availability to respond to emergent and time-sensitive situations are essential to meeting expectations of the job functions.

Diversity, Inclusion, Fair & Impartial Policing

• Demonstrated experience fostering inclusive relationships between officers and communities and an active role in community outreach initiatives and able to contribute to enriching the diversity of the Burlington Police Department.
• Thorough knowledge of and experience with fair and impartial policing practices and procedural justice tenets is required.
• Ability to actively support City diversity, equity, and cultural competency efforts within stated job responsibilities and work effectively across diverse cultures and constituencies.
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion as evidenced by ongoing trainings and professional development and a successful record of implementing professional development for staff in this area.
• Demonstrated experience in diverting youth from the juvenile justice system towards other models.

Special Requirements:

• Must become a legal voter of Burlington within one year of employment
• Appointed by the Mayor on an annual basis
• Must possess a valid driver's license

The City of Burlington will not tolerate unlawful harassment or discrimination on the basis of political or religious affiliation, race, color, national origin, place of birth, ancestry, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, veteran status, disability, HIV positive status or genetic information.  The City is also committed to providing proper access to services, facilities, and employment opportunities. 

Applications for this position are only accepted on-line at https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/burlingtonvt

For accessibility information or alternative formats, please contact Human Resources Department at 802-540-3057.

WOMEN, MINORITIES, VETERANS AND PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES ARE HIGHLY ENCOURAGED TO APPLY. EOE.