The City of Sedgwick is seeking qualified applicants for the next Chief of Police. Interested applicants should email their cover letter and resume to City Administrator, Kyle Nordick, at knordick [at] cityofsedgwick.org no later than March 1, 2024. Starting salary range is $55,000 – $65,000.
Sedgwick, Kansas is a quaint rural community located 15 minutes from Wichita and Newton along the Harvey and Sedgwick County border. The community is home to the Sedgwick Cardinals who boast a National Blue Ribbon of Excellence from the Department of Education, along with many great shops, local restaurants and beautiful parks and recreation system. Home to nearly 1,600 residents who are proud of the quality of life the community provides and the small-town values, Sedgwick enjoys the best amenities of the midwestern lifestyle.
The next Chief of Police must work hard to develop trusting relationships in the community and Department and will be a strong leader who takes a data-driven approach to crime; developing strategies and solutions supported by 21stCentury policing principles and practices.
The Sedgwick Police Department consists of 6 sworn positions and one civilian position. Supporting the Chief of Police is one full-time patrolman, four part-time patrolmen, and one records/court clerk. In total, the department responded to 1,042 calls for service in 2022: with a five-year average call volume of 1,247. Under the supervision of the City Administrator, the Chief of Police is an integral part of the City’s leadership team. The 2024 budget for the Police Department is $279,412. The ideal candidate will exhibit the following qualifications.
Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in criminal justice or related field from an accredited college or university preferred;
- Minimum five years of progressively responsible management and supervisory experience in law enforcement, preferably in a similar-sized community, or equivalent experience in the private sector for an organization of similar size and complexity;
- Must satisfy all state requirements as set forth in K.S.A.74-5605 Qualifications of Applicant (Police Officer) for Training Course Requirement or certification by reciprocity;
- Thorough knowledge of law enforcement techniques and procedures and all federal, state, and local ordinances governing police activities;
- Innovative and collaborative professional with proven management and leadership experience, as well as strong interpersonal and customer service skills;
- Community oriented and able to maintain positive relationships with citizens, schools, and businesses;
- Outstanding communication and leadership skills, a professional management style, and the ability to work without supervision;
- Negotiation, persuasion, tact, and diplomacy are essential for effectively performing tasks;
- Servant leader versed in building relationships and morale who truly puts other first;
- Ability to manage within the budge process, monitor expenditures, and stay within budget;
- Motivator with high emotional intelligence, with the ability to empower staff and work collaboratively with them while holding high expectations, and a willingness to be firm when necessary;
- Ability to effectively plan, assign, and delegate the work of others;
- Ability to make difficult decisions in a timely manner;
- Ability to maintain cooperative working relationships with all levels of staff, vendors, and the public;
- Ability to operate firearms, patrol vehicles, mobile/portable/base radios, and crime scene processing equipment;
- Ability to evaluate written and oral reports and make recommendations for improved police services;
- Must be able to provide reliable courtroom testimony;
- Criminal convictions for acts of dishonesty, or sustained disciplinary findings of misconduct related to truthfulness, racial bias, or other acts that would lead to potential impeachment of courtroom testimony as detailed in Brady v Maryland or Giglio v. U.S. will be cause for disqualification for applicants and termination for employees.
- Must maintain ability to apprehend and take persons into custody
Essential Duties Include:
- Develop a comprehensive 5-year strategic plan that includes participation from employees and citizens. Monitoring long-and short-range goals, objectives, and action plans;
- Initiate Professional Standards investigations into allegations of misconduct and make appropriate disciplinary recommendations to the City Administrator on sustained major disciplinary action;
- Make or recommend employment-related decisions involving hiring, discipline, and all other status changes; develop performance expectations and evaluate employee performance;
- Research and implement the means to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of police service;
- Provide professional recommendations regarding law enforcement and community policing to the city staff, City Council, and other boards;
- Review city procedures, department policies, laws, and ordinances and recommend or implement revisions to ensure safety, efficiency, effectiveness, and compliance;
- Develop and recommend department budget and authorize purchases and requests for bids and proposals;
- Prepare and review written reports with accuracy and timeliness and maintain department records;
- Develop staff reports and make presentations to the City Council and other boards, interact one-on-one with residents, participate as a member of the city’s management team, and relay information to the news media when appropriate;
- Provide leadership and supervision to staff and delegate projects and tasks;
- Respond to department and City emergencies;
- Enforce state laws and City ordinances;
- Ensure personnel meet or exceed annual training requirements;
- Ensure training regarding ethics, use of force, customer service and legal updates is presented at least every two years to all officers and provide other as needed;
- Administer a citizen survey to evaluate perceptions and effectiveness of service delivery;
- Represent the City and actively participate in regional and national law enforcement organizations;
- Determines work procedures, prepares work schedules, and expedites workflow; studies and standardizes procedures to improve efficiency and effectiveness of operations; examines work for exactness, neatness, and conformance to policies and procedures, adjust errors when necessary; maintains harmony among workers and resolves grievances.
The City of Sedgwick is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, genetic information or any other status protected by law or regulation. It is the City’s intention that all qualified applicants be given equal opportunity and that selection decisions are based on job-related factors.