The City of Seattle is the largest city in the State of Washington with a population of 772,000. The City is on Puget Sound in the Pacific Northwest, is surrounded by water, mountains, and evergreen forests, and contains thousands of acres of parkland. The City has embarked on its search for Seattle’s next Chief of Police. This process will be comprehensive and transparent and will involve looking both inside and outside of Seattle Police Department to find the right candidate. The Seattle Police Department (SPD) has a $355.5m annual budget.
Both sworn and civilian employees work in one of three offices, each managed by an Assistant Chief. The Office of the Chief is responsible for the overall leadership of the Department and is comprised of Legal Affairs, Chief Strategy Officer, Human Resources, and Public Affairs. The Office of the Deputy Chief is responsible for Collaborative Policing as well as four major operational bureaus: Patrol Operations, Criminal Investigations, Metropolitan, and Special Operations. The Office of the Chief Operating Officer is responsible for the Professional Standards Bureau, Administrative Services, and Budget & Finance. Meet the SPD Command Staff: www.seattle.gov/police/about-us/about-the-department/command-staff.
The Department’s organizational model places neighborhood-based emergency response services at its core, allowing SPD the greatest flexibility in managing public safety. Under this model, each precinct assumes responsibility for public safety management, primary crime prevention, and law enforcement.
The next Chief of Police will be an individual who shares Mayor Harrell’s vision for One Seattle where every person has the absolute right to safety and where SPD is inspired and trusted. Seattle seeks a leader who will build and rebuild trust with the community, help drive internal culture change, and be integrally involved in the development of a new third public safety department. The Chief of Police position requires certification, or ability to obtain certification, as a police officer as required by the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission: https://cjtc.wa.gov/.
The salary range for this at-will position is $198,172 –317,104. Placement within the range will depend on qualifications. The salary is augmented by an excellent benefits package that includes relocation assistance. Public Sector Search & Consulting, Inc. is assisting the City with the recruitment.
Interested parties are encouraged to contact Mr. Gary Peterson (Chief of Police, ret.) to discuss the position. Mr. Peterson can be reached at gary@publicsectorsearch.com or 916.789.9990 (office); 916.622.5323 (mobile). For optimal consideration, applicants should submit a cover letter, resume, and list of references to apply@publicsectorsearch.com by August 1, 2022.
