CITY OF WAPATO
Position: Police Chief
Salary: DOE
Department: Police Department
Benefits: Competitive medical, dental, vision, life.
Reports to: Mayor
Paid Holidays, Paid time off
Summary
The Police Chief is a sworn police officer, as defined by RCW. The Chief receives administrative direction from the Mayor and is charged with leading, planning, organizing and directing the overall activities of the Wapato Police Department consistent with community policing objectives. Additional duties of the Chief Law Enforcement Officer, may include participating in cross departmental projects or committees as assigned by the Mayor.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
- Establishes overall department goals and objectives. Monitors and evaluates department performance. Works closely with the mayor to ensure conformance with overall city vision and strategic direction.
- Leads, plans, manages, and directs department personnel, programs and operations.
- Develops, manages, and administers the department’s annual budget to ensure quality, community-oriented and cost-effective services within an approved budget.
- Maintains responsiveness to the neighborhood and citizen involvement processes.
- Performs personnel duties such as selection, discipline, evaluation, and discharge of employees. Develops processes that involve employees in decision-making. Provides career development opportunities for staff.
- Conducts strategic and operational planning to ensure that services, programs, facilities, and policing strategies meet the City’s changing needs and are financially viable. Manages design and implementation of new services and functions.
- Negotiates and administers contract services provided to other agencies.
- Advises and assists subordinates in criminal investigations.
- Assumes command of forces in emergency situations. Keeps the mayor informed of incidents or developments that may unusually affect public or official relations.
- Oversees department labor relations including grievance resolution, contract negotiation, administration, and interpretation in consultation with the Human Resources Division, City Attorney, and other resources as necessary.
- Establishes and maintains service-oriented community relations and evaluates and addresses citizen complaints and concerns. Promotes awareness and public involvement in community policing and crime prevention. Participates in public functions to promote crime prevention and law enforcement.
- Ensures participation and coordination for services as necessary with community groups. Participates in and facilitates regional advisory or intergovernmental groups.
- Serves as liaison with prosecutors, courts, law enforcement agencies and legislators at city, county, state, and federal levels as well as with a wide variety of community organizations, citizen groups, and the public at large.
- Maintains an on-call status and responds to any and all critical incidents that threaten the public safety and which are out of the purview of the on-duty police officer.
- Patrols all assigned areas; responds to calls for service or observed violations; enforces public safety laws, regulations, and ordinances; assists and directs the activities of subordinate officers and staff; performs special detail work as needed; and performs related responsibilities as required.
- Other duties as assigned by the Mayor to enhance the overall operation of the city.
- Maintains effective work relationships.
- Performs other duties as assumed that support the overall objective of the position.
Qualifications
Excellent leadership skills with a strong ability to motivate and mentor others by effective communication, both verbally and in writing. Possess strong interpersonal skills including respect and understanding of diversity. Must possess the ability to foster cooperation with coworkers and the public to maintain effective working relationships, to include effective labor relations. Requires skills in investigations and conflict resolution.
Ability to maintain the standards identified in the Law Enforcement Code of Ethics. Capable of taking command at critical incidents and make decisions which result in a safe, legal, and satisfactory outcome. Must be able to interpret policy, rules, and regulations ensuring correct application and compliance. Ability to anticipate and/or resolve operational, staffing and equipment related problems and to develop goals for work groups. Must have initiative and independence along with the ability to identify and resolve problems, and to communicate the Department’s vision and values within the organization and the community. Ability to work on multiple investigations, as well as perform necessary patrol duties, traffic enforcement, community service, special assignments, and training as required. Ability to collect, process, and evaluate complex material and information. Ability to resolve situations by making appropriate decisions in highly stressful, rapidly deteriorating, and violent situations. Demonstrate the ability to promote diversity principles with employees in day-to-day operations. Must be able to testify in a court of law and cannot have a Brady designation. Ability to use a computer and required software, to perform the essential functions of the position. Ability to meet State standards in the use of vehicles, firearms, and other weapons and equipment. Ability to learn to use specific computer software necessary to perform the essential functions of the position in a timely manner. Ability to prioritize work, perform multiple tasks, coordinate with other law enforcement agencies, service agencies, and departments and cope with competing and changing priorities. Ability to be flexible, adaptable, and creative. Ability to speak effectively in public. Ability to maintain confidentiality of information and protocols.
The physical demands described here (including lifting, mobility, movement, manual dexterity) are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. In the performance of job duties, the employee is frequently required to sit, speak, and listen. The employee is frequently required to stand; walk/ use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb, including stairs and ladders; balance; stop, kneel, crouch, bend, reach, or crawl; smell; run short and moderate distances in foot pursuit; jump and dodge obstacles; lift and carry objects and people; drag and pull objects and people; push/pull heavy objects; use short and moderate duration force with subjects; use restraining devices; use restraining;/control holds; and use hands/feet for self-defense. The employee may occasionally be required to engage in physically combative confrontations with resistant and possible violent individuals in order to subdue them. Manual dexterity and coordination are required during a majority of the work period. Dexterity is used while operating equipment such as cameras, calculators, vehicles, computers, laptops, firearms, alternative weapons, defensive tactics, etc.
The employee may be required to use the following tools and/or equipment: police vehicle, police radio; radar gun; handgun and other weapons as required; police baton; handcuffs; breathalyzer; telephone; cellular telephone; mobile data terminal; personal computer; first aid equipment; and other equipment.
Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice, Police Science, Public Administration or other related fields preferred. Ten years of law enforcement experience with a minimum of three (3) years of command experience and two (2) years of management experience.
- Licenses and Certificates
Requires a valid Washington driver’s license and driving record that meets the standards set by the City of Wapato. Have the ability to achieve Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission Executive level certification.
In the performance of the job duties, the employee will frequently work in outside weather conditions that may involve extreme cold and extreme heat. The noise level in the work environment is usually minor to moderate. Occasional travel, including local and regional meetings, training, and regular travel throughout the City. This position may regularly be required to work evenings and weekends.
Job offers for this position are contingent on the individual successfully passing a pre-employment drug screen, medical examination that includes vision and hearing tests, and a psychological examination. The applicant must successfully pass a comprehensive background investigation, including a criminal history check and obtain a Washington State Police Criminal Justices Information Systems clearance.
The City of Wapato is an Equal Opportunity Employer. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City of Wapato will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourages both prospective and current employees to discuss potential accommodations with the employer.
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: $57,029.23 - $173,009.67 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
- Vision insurance
Schedule:
Ability to commute/relocate:
- Wapato, WA 98951: Reliably commute or planning to relocate before starting work (Required)
Work Location: In person