Chief of Police Job Description, Duties, and Responsibilities

This post provides detailed information on the chief of police job description, including the key duties, tasks, and responsibilities they commonly perform.

It also highlights the major requirements that you may be expected to fulfill to be hired for the chief of police role.

What Does a Chief of Police Do?

The Chief of Police is responsible for planning, overseeing, and directing the activities, operations, and personnel of the department.

His/her job description entails providing effective evaluation, direction, and supervision to specific staff; developing and supervising work schedules of employees to achieve adequate coverage and control.

His/her role also includes compiling and reviewing timesheets, attending to concerns and problems raised by employees and provide necessary counsel or sanction as the case may demand.

He/she is also responsible for assigning tasks to employees and completing their performance appraisals, as well as serving as a liaison between management and staff.

The duties of the Chief of Police also involve providing the right training in policies, procedures, and operations to staff.

He/she must ensure work is organized, prioritized, scheduled, and assigned to employees to meet the objectives of the department.

He/she must also ensure that employees are provided with needed resources to be able to complete assigned tasks effectively.

The job of the police chief also involves monitoring the progress of assigned tasks and carrying out inspection of finished work to be sure it has met its objectives.

He/she is also required to create activity and progress reports for management use so that they can be carried along on the work.

Where a staff faces difficulty in completing his/her assigned work due to its complexity, the police chief can help out by providing the needed technical assistance or the right expertise needed for the task.

It is also part of the work description of the Chief of Police to ensure that procedure manuals are revised as at when due.

Chief of Police Job Description Example/Sample/Template

The Chief of Police performs various functions in keeping the police department running efficiently.

The typical duties, tasks, and responsibilities associated with the role of a police chief are shown in the job description examples below:

• Ensure total adherence to the policies, rules, and regulations of the department by all personnel
• Prepare annual budget for the department
• Ensure increased efficiency and effectiveness of the department by developing procedures, methods, and policies
• Ensure that all personnel are continuously trained
• Give orders to employees if necessary to ensure efficient performance of assignment
• Give approval to the creation of all work schedules and their adoption
• Ensure assigned equipment such as communication systems and departmental vehicles are operated efficiently
• Ensure a positive attitude and goodwill among personnel; and provide motivation and guidance to subordinates
• Ensure good public relations with various community agencies and citizens
• Carry out researches on law enforcement trends and how they affect the community
• Seek other sources of funding for departmental programs and equipment by writing grants, etc.
• Responsible for the documentation and accounting of all activities of the department
• Carry out administrative duties such as responding to inquiries, attendance of meetings, completion of various reports, revision of reports and statistics, and approval of invoices and departmental payroll
• Prepare period reports concerning activities of the department for the Police Commissioners and the Town Manager, as well as various other reports like the yearly report of departmental activities
• Ensure communication process with the Police Commissioner and the Town Manager is effective
• Responsible for supervising the work of management-level personnel in the Police Department following established policies and relevant laws
• Responsible for interviewing and hiring employees, as well as providing the right training to them
• Ensure work is planned, assigned, and supervised adequately for efficiently delivery
• Schedule work and give approval for time utilized
• Appraise employees’ work performance and reward or discipline employees appropriately
• Respond swiftly to employees’ complaints and provide necessary solution to the problem.

Requirements – Abilities, Knowledge, and Skills – for the Chief of Police Role

The following are common requirements and qualifications you will be expected to meet by employers if you are seeking the job of the Chief of Police:

• Possess Bachelor’s degree (B.S. OR B.A.) together with five years of related work experience and/or training. Equivalent combination of experience and education may also be acceptable for hiring for the Chief of Police role
• Possession of Police Officer certification from the appropriate state training board may be required
• Successfully completed the Chief Executive Officers training program
• Experience working in a supervisory role in a police department
• Strong computer software skills, including Word, Microsoft Outlook, PowerPoint, and Excel
• Strong knowledge of and ability to implement modern methods, practices, and principles of police investigation, organization, and administration
• Excellent knowledge of all relevant laws, including Town, State, and Federal laws for efficient and effective enforcement of laws
• Strong knowledge of personnel management, supervision, and business administration for effective leadership of the police department
• Strong ability to review the operations of the Police Department, discover weaknesses, and effect improvement
• Knowledge of all Police Department rules and regulation, policies, and procedures
• Detailed knowledge of the geography of the County and Town of operation
• Strong ability to operate departmental vehicles and equipment
• Strong decision making skills to be able to make the right decision quickly within established guidelines and protocols
• Strong ability to enforce rules and adhere to established guidelines and protocols
• Detail-oriented with strong understanding of report writing and accounting practices and principles
• Strong ability to develop and maintain cordially relationship with vendors, residents, as well as with other Town departments
• Strong crisis resolution ability to be able to resolve dispute between residents and employees, and between employees themselves
• Ability to keep relevant certifications, licenses, and all in-service requirements current
• Strong ability to operate office machines, including computers, copy machine, printer, fax machine, and scanner effectively
• Strong communication skills, to write and speak fluently in English.

Conclusion

This post provides sample job description and information you can apply in making a detailed description for the Chief of Police position if you are an employer hiring for the role in your Town.

Creating a comprehensive work description for the police chief job will assist you in getting the best candidates to recruit for the job.

This post is also helpful to individuals who desire to become Chief of Police someday. They have the opportunity to learn about the career and the kind of duties and responsibilities associated with it, and so are able to make informed decisions.