Chief of Police

Chief Of Police

The Chief of Police serves under the direction of the Mayor, providing leadership, management, and oversight of the Police Department's overall operations and activities. The Police Chief is appointed to a one-year term, renewable upon review and mayoral appointment. The City of Burlington has undertaken a significant, multi-year process to incorporate the intersection of public safety and public health into community safety strategies, including rebuilding the Burlington Police Department through a lens of community trust-building and engagement outside traditional policing models. Community trust stands as the cornerstone of effective policing and the preservation of public safety, and successful candidates will embrace this philosophy to build community policing strategies through intentional efforts and genuine engagement.

This role requires vision, accountability, and the ability to foster collaboration within the agency and across city departments and community stakeholders. Strong candidates 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 and across the community and have experience with outreach and public engagement in a racially and culturally diverse community setting. The ideal candidate will have a track record of customer service, professionalism, integrity and striving for the highest ideals of public service and personal conduct. It is imperative that this individual is able to manage emergency situations and build credibility and infuse accountability and respect within the Department by being fair, equitable, and willing and able to listen to staff, coworkers and diverse community voices.

Essential Job Functions

• Demonstrate a strong history of successful partnership with a mayor and city council.
• Knowledge of the principles, practices and operations of law enforcement, police and public administration, and homeland security issues.
• Thorough knowledge of and experience with fair and impartial policing practices and procedural justice tenets.
• A proven history of implementing a community policing strategy that is based on production of safety with the community.
• Be effective in using technology, data-driven methods, innovative policing strategies, and community-oriented policing to reduce crime and address quality of life issues.
• Demonstrated experience in diverting youth from the juvenile justice system towards other models.
• Demonstrate a history of being an adaptable, responsive, and accessible leader.
• The ability to build leadership capacity within the department through mentoring, coaching, and succession planning.
• Proven record of successful recruiting strategy that mirrors the demographic of the community.
• Demonstrated experience fostering inclusive relationships between officers and communities and an active role in community outreach initiatives
• Demonstrated history and knowledge of working in an immigrant community that is based on providing safety and security to all residents.
• Demonstrated a strong history of collaborative approaches with partners in public safety and public health to address quality of life issues such as the assisting the unhoused, mental health, and substance use disorders.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with employees, government agencies, and City Departments, non-profits, community, and private sector groups.
• Demonstrated understanding and/or prior experience working with a police commission and supporting its initiatives to enhance public trust in law enforcement.
• Demonstrated strong, clear written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to present to large audiences, diverse cultures, and engage with the media.

Qualifications/Basic Job Requirements

Required Education and Experience

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution.

• Minimum of 10 years of supervisory experience with at least 5 years of executive leadership in a department of equivalent size and scope. An equivalent combination of education and/or experience may be considered.

• Experience working in a racially and culturally diverse community.

Desired Education and Experience

• Master's degree from an accredited college or university.

• Demonstration of continued professional development such as graduation from a nationally recognized police management program.

• Experience working with a large university and college population, student residences, and vibrant downtown nightlife is preferred.

• Experience leading department of comparable size and scope.

Required Licenses or Certifications

• Be able to be certified in the State of Vermont as a police officer via the Vermont Criminal Justice Council. Certification is required within 90 days of hiring or as soon as the VCJC can accommodate a required training regimen (whichever is sooner).

• Possession of or ability to obtain a valid Vermont motor vehicle operator's license.

Residency Requirement

• Per the city charter, residence within the City of Burlington is required within one year of appointment. Waiver of this requirement requires a vote by City Council, who have approved exceptions within the past few years.

Additional Information

Promoting a culture that reveres diversity and equity

The City of Burlington is proud to be an equal opportunity employer, and we are strongly committed to creating a dynamic and equitable work-force that mirrors the population and world that we serve. We do not discriminate on the basis of political or religious affiliation, race, color, national origin, place of birth, ancestry, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, crime victim status, veteran status, disability, HIV positive status, or genetic information in employment or the provision of services. In addition to being an equal opportunity employer we actively encourage applicants who can contribute to our growing diversity to apply.