Assistant Vice Chancellor for Public Safety & Chief of Police

University of Colorado•Colorado Springs, CO

2d•$120,766 - $172,523•Onsite

About The Position

The University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS) is seeking an Assistant Vice Chancellor for Public Safety and Chief of Police to join their team. This role serves as the senior public safety and law enforcement leader for UCCS, a residential public university with approximately 10,319 students, 545 faculty, and 722 staff. The position provides strategic, administrative, operational, and fiscal leadership for the Department of Public Safety, encompassing police operations, emergency communications, emergency management, environmental health and safety, fire safety, access control, records, property and evidence, and related administrative services. The Chief of Police advises campus leadership on public safety strategy, emergency preparedness, law enforcement operations, regulatory compliance, risk mitigation, and community safety. This role involves close collaboration with students, faculty, staff, campus leaders, local law enforcement and emergency response agencies, and other University of Colorado campuses and system offices to ensure a safe, prepared, and service-oriented campus environment.

Requirements

A bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, law enforcement, police administration, public administration, social science, or a related field. (Year-for-year executive-level law enforcement experience may be considered as a substitution for the degree.)
A proven track record of progressively responsible sworn law enforcement leadership at the command level or higher, including experience directing police operations, supervising personnel, managing budgets, allocating resources, and leading complex public safety initiatives.
Colorado Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) certification or ability to obtain within 90 days of hire and maintain certification.
A valid Colorado driver’s license or ability to obtain one within 30 days of hire.
Ability to serve in an essential/critical capacity, respond to campus emergencies and critical incidents, and work outside normal business hours as operational needs require.
Must live, or be willing to relocate, within a 45-minute commute to campus.

Nice To Haves

Experience leading public safety in a higher education, public-sector, or similarly complex multi-stakeholder environment.
Demonstrated experience with community policing, Clery Act compliance, threat assessment, emergency management, First Amendment considerations in a public setting, mental health-related response, physical and electronic security systems, public communication, and interagency coordination.
A master’s degree in criminal justice, public administration, business administration, law enforcement, or a related field.
Completion of an executive law enforcement leadership program, such as the FBI National Academy, FBI-LEEDA, Northwestern School of Police Staff and Command, PERF Senior Management Institute for Police, or a similar command leadership program.

Responsibilities

Serve as the senior executive for campus public safety and provide strategic direction for the Department of Public Safety to ensure a safe, secure, and supportive environment for students, faculty, staff, visitors, and the broader campus community.
Lead departmental planning, staffing, policy development, resource allocation, and operational priorities across sworn and professional public safety functions.
Manage departmental budgets and identify grant opportunities, partnerships, alternative funding sources, and resource strategies that support operational efficiency while addressing campus safety needs.
Advise the Public Safety supervisory Vice Chancellor and other senior leaders on law enforcement, emergency management, safety, security, risk, and crisis-response matters.
Develop and support a high-trust and high-performing department culture grounded in care, accountability, professionalism, service, ethical conduct, procedural justice, and continuous improvement.
Provide leadership, supervision, coaching, performance management, and professional development for command staff, managers, supervisors, officers, and professional staff.
Direct police operations, including patrol, investigations, emergency communications, crime prevention, event security, VIP support, traffic and parking enforcement support, and response to calls for service.
Ensure the department maintains appropriate readiness for major incidents, hostile threats, emergencies, campus events, and other situations affecting the safety and security of the campus community.
Oversee records, property, and evidence, incident reporting, case management, access control, security support, and related operational systems.
Ensure law enforcement actions, training, certifications, firearms programs, standard operating procedures, and general orders meet legal, professional, university, and Colorado POST requirements.
Review operational data, crime trends, incident reports, community concerns, and emerging safety needs to improve services, staffing models, deployment, and response strategies.
Provide executive oversight for emergency management, emergency preparedness, continuity planning, training, exercises, and all-hazards response coordination for UCCS.
Oversee environmental health and safety, fire safety, hazardous materials coordination, life-safety programs, inspections, and related prevention and response functions.
Coordinate preparedness and response activities with campus departments, senior leadership, local emergency responders, and other public safety partners.
Promote personal, occupational, environmental, and community safety through education, prevention, planning, training, and operational readiness.
Ensure compliance with applicable federal, state, local, university, and law enforcement requirements, including Clery Act reporting, VAWA-related obligations, Colorado Victim Rights Act requirements, and applicable crime reporting standards.
Oversee the development, review, implementation, and maintenance of department policies, procedures, records, training expectations, and accountability practices.
Support internal review processes, complaint response, personnel matters, sensitive investigations, and confidential information management with sound judgment and discretion.
Serve as a Campus Security Authority and ensure accurate, timely, and coordinated public safety reporting and communication in partnership with appropriate campus offices.
Advance a strong and approachable community-policing approach that builds trust, transparency, and constructive relationships with students, faculty, staff, families, visitors, and community partners.
Collaborate with campus leadership, student-facing units, residential life, facilities, communications, legal counsel, institutional equity, student affairs, and other partners to address safety concerns and improve the campus experience.
Maintain strong working relationships with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, fire and emergency response agencies, prosecutorial offices, and public safety leaders across the University of Colorado system.
Represent UCCS in public safety matters and communicate effectively with internal and external stakeholders during routine operations, significant events, emergencies, and sensitive situations.