Chief of Police

Salary: $187,442.13 – $227,837.08 Annually

Closing Date: 3/28/2025

Position Summary:

The City is looking for a Police Chief who will prioritize the strong rapport that the South Lake Tahoe Police Department has established with community members. The ideal candidate will be an experienced, forward-thinking leader dedicated to building strong relationships with diverse community members as well as visitors. The ideal candidate will have practical knowledge and experience of best practices related to community-oriented policing and will demonstrate a commitment to transparency and trust-building across all demographics. The candidate must have a proven ability to tackle complex issues, including mental health crises, by implementing innovative strategies and collaborating with local resources. Strong communication skills, crisis management abilities, and cultural competency are essential for this role. Furthermore, the ideal candidate will emphasize succession planning within the department, fostering the development of future leaders to ensure stability and long-term success. Overall, their efforts should aim to maintain safety while enhancing the quality of life for both residents and visitors.

Essential Functions:

• Oversees all divisions of the Department.
• Plans, organizes, coordinates, and administers operational activities.
• Analyzes operational costs and directs preparation of annual budget requests and justifications.
• Administer the annual budget.
• Attends City Council, Police Advisory Commission, and community meetings.
• Facilitates the counseling and disciplining of personnel.
• Recommends service levels and staffing requirements.
• Most importantly, builds and maintains positive working relationships with other departments, coworkers, other City employees, community groups and the public.

Requirements:

• Candidates should have experience in administration, budget, management, strategic planning, succession planning, and community outreach.
• A Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice, Law, Political Science, Public Administration, or a related field is required; a Masters’s Degree is preferred. P.O.S.T. Command College and/or the California Police Chiefs Executive Leadership institute are desired, but not required.
• Ten (10) years of increasingly responsible supervisory/administrative experience in Law enforcement, including at least four (4) years of management responsibility at the level equivalent to that of Lieutenant or higher. Experience as a Chief of Police is desired but not required.
• Must satisfy all California P.O.S.T. minimum employment standards and possess, or be able to obtain,a P.O.S.T. Management Certificate.
• Possession of a California or other state-issued driver’s license