Chief of Police

San José, CA

A national search is underway to attract a community-minded, reform-oriented Police Chief to lead the San José Police Department (SJPD). San José is the 10^th largest city in the nation with more than one million residents. This is an incredible opportunity to lead one of the nation’s top law enforcement agencies at a time of historic social awakening with respect to systemic racism, political unrest, and segments of the community questioning the role of police in public safety. San José has a robust police reforms work plan and is poised to begin reimagining community safety through a public discourse that will include many voices. The selected candidate must be open-minded and ready to engage in a dialogue that challenges conventional wisdom and embraces new approaches to public safety. Successful candidates will have an exceptional career history in a major metropolitan area and will be known for being a reformer, who is engaging, inclusive, insightful and adaptable. The next Police Chief will continue working with the community, city leadership, and stakeholders to create a new vision for public safety in San José. With a 2020-2021 budget of $471.5 million, the SJPD is one of the leanest and most efficient major city police agencies in the country with 1,157 sworn officers and 558 civilian employees. This position requires at least five years of command experience at the highest levels in a large municipal police department and a proven and demonstrated track record of working effectively in a culturally and ethnically diverse community. Experience should also include developing and implementing innovative crime reduction and community policing strategies. A Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in criminal justice, law, public administration, political science, or a related field is required. A Master’s degree in public administration or a related field is highly desirable. Other advanced training or the ability to speak another language is considered a plus. The current salary range for this at-will position is $184,468 to $288,326 annually and placement within the range will be based on the selected candidates’ qualifications. This selected candidate may also qualify for up to 12.75% in additional pay. The City provides excellent benefits. Candidates are encouraged to apply immediately by submitting a resume, compelling cover letter, and list of professional references via email to [email protected]. Candidates are encouraged to apply by December 31, 2020. This position will be considered open until a final selection is made. Candidates should direct inquiries and questions regarding this position or the recruitment process to:               

Mr. Gary Peterson, Public Sector Search & Consulting, Inc. at 916.622.5323 or [email protected]. Brochure can be viewed at  www.publicsectorsearch.com.