Chief of Police

Henry County Schools•McDonough, GA

21h•Onsite

About The Position

The Chief of Police is responsible for leading, developing, and implementing a comprehensive program to ensure the security and safety of students, staff, and visitors across all district campuses and facilities. This role involves planning, organizing, and directing all operations of the district’s Police Department, including patrol, investigations, threat assessment, emergency management, and crime prevention. The Chief will hire, supervise, train, and evaluate police officers and security personnel, ensuring adherence to professional standards. Key responsibilities include coordinating emergency preparedness, serving as a liaison with law enforcement agencies, overseeing investigations, advising the Superintendent on safety and crisis management, managing departmental budgets, promoting positive community relations, and overseeing safety training programs. The position requires 24-hour on-call availability for emergencies and monitoring compliance with state legislation.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Law Enforcement Administration, Criminal Justice, Public Administration, or related field, or any combination of education, training, and experience that provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities required for the position.
POST Certified Peace Officer.
Minimum of ten (10) years of progressively responsible experience in law enforcement.
Minimum of three (3) years of management/supervisory experience in law enforcement.
Thorough knowledge of modern law enforcement principles, practices, and methods.
Strong understanding of school safety, juvenile law, and educational environments.
Ability to plan, direct, and supervise law enforcement operations effectively.
Excellent judgment, leadership, communication, and crisis management skills.
Ability to analyze complex situations, make sound decisions, and act with integrity under pressure.
Ability to work well with staff and the public; ability to effectively respond to inquiries or complaints from staff members, agencies, or members of the community.
Exceptional integrity, commitment to confidentiality, excellent character, and strong professional reputation.
Ability to abide by the Georgia Professional Standards Code of Ethics for Educators.
Must be regularly, predictably, and reliably at work.
Must be able to be present at the physical worksite.
Ability to perform tasks involving prolonged periods of standing, walking, and sitting.
Ability to perform routine physical activities such as bending, lifting, and pushing/pulling up to 50 pounds.
Vision, hearing, written, and verbal communication skills are essential factors in performing essential tasks.

Nice To Haves

Experience in a school district and/or juvenile justice system preferred.
Experience working with youth preferred.

Responsibilities

Lead, develop, and implement a comprehensive program to ensure the security and safety of students, staff, and visitors to all district campuses and facilities.
Plan, organize, and direct all operations of the district’s Police Department, including patrol activities, investigations, threat assessment, emergency management and response, and crime prevention.
Hire, supervise, train, and evaluate district police officers and security personnel; ensure adherence to professional standards and ethics.
Coordinate emergency preparedness and response plans, including lockdowns, evacuations, reunification procedures, weather-related issues, and community health matters in collaboration with district and school safety.
Serve as the district’s primary liaison with local, state, and federal law enforcement and emergency management agencies.
Oversee investigations of criminal activity, threats, or incidents occurring on district property or involving district students/staff.
Advise the Superintendent and Cabinet on school safety, crisis management, and law enforcement issues.
Manage departmental budgets, resources, and equipment procurement, while providing recommendations to support operational effectiveness and strategic priorities.
Promote positive community relations by engaging with parents, students, and staff to build trust and transparency.
Serve as representation for the school district, Superintendent or designee when presenting information and promoting goodwill to both internal and stakeholders.
Oversee the development and delivery of staff and student safety training programs (e.g., active shooter, de-escalation, threat assessment).
Remain available on-call 24 hours a day for emergency response.
Provides early warning for adverse school conditions in relation to weather, emergency response, etc. in collaboration with district and school safety.
Monitor compliance with current state legislation and communicate applicable requirements to district personnel to ensure effective implementation and adherence across all schools.
Perform other duties as assigned.