Chief of Police

Review of applications will begin February 14, 2024, and continue until the position is filled. The salary range is $130,000- $140,000, along with relocation assistance and a comprehensive benefits package that includes health, vision, and dental insurance, paid leave, retirement, tuition assistance, and more.

Submit an application by visiting Spelman Johnson's job posting and click on the Apply button on the bottom of the page: https://spelmanandjohnson.com/position/chief-of-police/ . Applicants needing reasonable accommodation to participate in the application process should contact Spelman Johnson at 413-529-2895 or email [email protected] .

Reporting to the vice chancellor for financial and administrative affairs, the chief of police leads and manages Purdue University Fort Wayne’s (PFW) University Police Department by providing guidance and direction to officers and staff in implementing policies, procedures, and general orders and responding efficiently and effectively to all situations that impact the PFW community. The chief will develop, review, and evaluate the department’s budget, expenses, and funding allocations, coordinate grant opportunities, and steward university resources. Further, the chief develops and implements strategic departmental initiatives, provides metrics demonstrating success, and supports emergency planning and response, community outreach, and risk/threat assessments. This position works closely with human resources, office of institutional equity, student housing, and the office of student conduct and CARE on situations involving behaviors, care, conflict, and crisis management. The chief is responsible for the RAVE emergency alert activation and testing and oversees Clery Act compliance, including the annual Security Report. In addition, the chief applies the University’s affirmative action plan EEO policy, mission, and values and facilitates the community-based policing philosophy through the department’s work. The new chief is expected to expand and develop relationships with appropriate city, county, state, and federal agencies to facilitate plan development, response effort coordination, and exchanges of personnel and equipment. The chief oversees a dedicated staff of 13 officers and manages a budget of $1.7M.

The successful candidates will hold a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, public safety, or a related field and a minimum of eight (8) years of progressively varied and responsible experience as a sworn full-time law enforcement officer with a recognized law enforcement agency(agencies) and at least four (4) years in an administrative, supervisory, or management position. A combination of experience and education may be considered. The next chief will complete and maintain all required annual law enforcement training and certifications prescribed by Indiana State Law and the Indiana Law Enforcement Training Board (ILETB) and be ILEA (Indiana Law Enforcement Academy) certified or hold a transferable certification upon hire date. Further, the successful candidate must be physically and mentally capable of performing all duties of a police officer, including successfully completing the Purdue Police Officer Physical Abilities Test annually and must have a valid Indiana Driver’s license and be in compliance with Purdue’s Motor Vehicle Records (MVR) check policy.

Preferred qualifications include higher education law enforcement experience, working knowledge of the Jeanne Cleary Disclosure of Campus Security and Campus Crime Statistics Act, and completion of a nationally recognized law enforcement executive development program (i.e., FBI National Academy).

• Embraces an educational philosophy for the entire department, ensuring officers understand their role as educators within the campus community.
• Possesses an understanding and appreciation for a student-centered, service-oriented environment and the ability to fully comprehend the department’s integral role within the campus community.
• Has a genuine willingness to work with and for the PFW community by actively engaging others in community policing practices, continual open communications, positive daily interactions, and responsiveness to needs and concerns.
• Maintains high visibility and engagement throughout the campus and surrounding community.
• Is an authentic communicator who consistently works to understand the students’ and campus community stakeholders’ varied interests, needs, and concerns and how these relate to the work of public safety.
• Has a genuine passion for the university environment with an ability to build strong rapport and working relationships with students, faculty, and staff.
• Is a culturally competent professional with a genuine appreciation for diversity, equity, and inclusion and demonstrated experience effectively working with and positively engaging a diverse student population.
• Is capable of leading a campus culture shift, committing to the approach that everyone is responsible for safety.
• Will invest the time to truly get to know departmental staff and advocate on their behalf, ensuring their needs/concerns are adequately addressed.
• Has experience creating a unified vision, mission, and strategic plan to move a department in a positive direction.
• Possesses a strong training background to continually assist with teaching the campus community in the best practices to enhance safety.
• Can effectively foster strong partnerships with local, regional, and national law enforcement and first responders.
• Has expertise in related compliance requirements, emergency preparedness, and best practices, including the Clery Act, mental health concerns, responses to alcohol/drug issues, bias incidents and hate crimes.
• Holds a record of demonstrated complex change management; capable of initiating and managing change while ensuring that all stakeholders have been appropriately included in conversations and decisions.
• Is a transformative, innovative, and collaborative leader with a readiness to try new ideas, approaches, and technologies.
• Possesses a genuinely inclusive leadership style that is confident, approachable, motivational, and transparent and can be firm, clear, and direct with staff.
• Is a strong supervisor capable of challenging and appreciating individuals while effectively working to professionalize the department and hold all staff accountable.
• Is committed to the collection and use of data to inform all decisions.
• Is highly committed to both professional and personal growth and development as a manager, leader, and public safety expert; deeply committed to the professional development and training of staff.
• Has an in-depth understanding of applicable laws, risk management, safety and security procedures, policies, and protocols necessary to inform an immediate and correct response to situations.
• Has the ability to build a strong, empowered team with positive morale throughout the department.
• Projects a high degree of energy and enthusiasm for the work.

In transitioning to PFW, the chief will encounter the following opportunities, priorities, and challenges, as shared by key campus stakeholders:

• The next chief will continue to shape the future of the police department. They will find a solid, well-respected department and a supportive community.
• The chief has the ability to hire a second in command to manage more of the day-to-day operations while the chief focuses on the more significant campus issues.
• PFW is experiencing campus growth both with enrollment and campus housing facilities. The department will need to grow and adapt with the institution.
• The chief must work on communication, consistency, and transparency within the department and the broader campus community.
• The new chief will assist with campus emergency preparedness, training the entire campus community to respond effectively and safely to various situations.
• PFW wants to see the department become exceptional, one that other institutions look to for advice and ideas.
• The chief should work to fully integrate the entire department into all aspects of campus life.
• While the department’s officer retention numbers are good, recruiting talented officers remains difficult.
• PFW is a relational campus; therefore, the chief must be an exceptional relationship builder, establishing relationships with key campus stakeholders and local community partners.
• Fort Wayne is a thriving, diverse city with exceptional healthcare, schools, dining, and activities and events throughout the year making it an attractive place to call home.

The items listed below will define the new chief’s success throughout the first year of employment:

• The chief has gained the trust of the PFW community by being involved, visible, transparent, and engaged in all aspects of campus life and has actively encouraged his officers to do the same.
• A solid, shared vision for safety and crime prevention exists throughout the University; students feel safe and trust the department.
• Through consistent, confident leadership, the chief is readily regarded as an active partner in supporting the institution’s educational mission and strategic plan.
• The department is fully and positively integrated into the PFW community;  the students, administration, and campus community have confidence in the department’s abilities.
• The PFW has confidence in the department and has no concerns requesting help from the department.
• The chief and the department have established strong relationships with key stakeholders across campus to elevate the collaborative work around public safety.
• The department operates with high professionalism, accountability, transparency, and competence, with an ethos of compassion and empathy.
• The morale within the department is strong, and all officers and staff members feel supported, valued, and appreciated by the campus community.
• The chief has formed meaningful working relationships with local and regional law enforcement agencies, first responders, and local community partners.