Chief of Police - City of Richland
Richland Police Department: 871 George Washington Way - Richland, WA
About the Job
THE OPPORTUNITY
The City of Richland, Washington offers an unparalleled career opportunity to collaborative, progressive law enforcement leaders as it seeks to identify its next Police Chief. The Richland Police Department enjoys a trust-based relationship with its residents and the internal organizational culture is widely viewed as healthy. Richland is seeking a Police Chief that will position the organization for success through continual improvement, innovation, and dedication to staff development.
ABOUT RICHLAND
Richland is located at the confluence of the Columbia and Yakima Rivers in southeastern Washington in the heart of the Pacific Northwest. Richland and its sister cities of Kennewick, Pasco, and West Richland make up the Tri-Cities MSA with a population of 312,000. Richland is the third largest city in the region with a population of approximately 62,500 residents.
The city and its citizens are proud of the community’s excellent quality of life, which includes educational opportunities, outstanding health care providers and facilities, cultural and recreational amenities, and municipal services that consistently score very high in community surveys. In addition, Richland receives wide recognition for the beauty of its integrated parks, river-shore, commerce centers, living spaces, and economic opportunities, making it a desirable place to live, work and play.
THE DEPARTMENT
The Richland Police Department is organized into four divisions, each led by a Police Commander or Professional Staff Manager: Administrative Services, Investigations, Operations, and Professional Staff. The Department receives added support from the Richland Police Department Foundation which supports the community and staff through the Community Care and Professional Development funds.
The Police Department is staffed with 73 commissioned officers and 22.5 professional staff focused on community service and safety. Reporting directly to the Police Chief is the Deputy Chief and an Executive Assistant. The FY 2024 budget for the Richland Police Department, including all divisions, is approximately $21.8 million. The Operations Division responded to nearly 68,000 calls for service last year.
THE POSITION
Under the direction of the City Manager, the Police Chief manages, plans, and directs all activities, operations, and personnel of the Richland Police Department to enforce federal, state, and municipal laws and ordinances in the prevention of crime and protection of life and property. The Police Chief advises the City Manager and City Council regarding public safety issues, establishes work priorities, and develops and monitors the department budget. As a member of the City’s Executive Leadership Team, the Police Chief is expected to actively partner and support peer department directors to solve citywide issues and help guide the city’s vision and direction.
The ideal candidate for the Chief of Police will be a committed, decisive leader who can support and enhance the positive direction that currently exists in the department; be a personable, approachable leader who is highly visible inside the department and community; be committed to succession planning by mentoring, developing, and recognizing future leaders within the department; and have deep experience in all levels of modern municipal law enforcement to include administrative expertise.
To learn more about the position and the City of Richland, click here.