Interim Chief of Police

Spring Independent School District•Houston, TX

About The Position

The Interim Chief of Police provides strategic and operational leadership for the Spring Independent School District Police Department and districtwide law enforcement, security, emergency response, and protective-service functions. The role directs the development, implementation, evaluation, and continuous improvement of policing, security, emergency preparedness, traffic management, threat response, and crime-prevention strategies to support safe and secure learning and working environments throughout District schools, facilities, programs, and events. As the District’s senior law enforcement executive, the Interim Chief advises the Superintendent and executive leadership on public safety, security operations, emergency response, and related matters. The role is responsible for fostering a professional, service-oriented, accountable police organization that protects students, employees, visitors, and District property while supporting the District’s educational mission and priorities. The position leads departmental strategy and administration, law enforcement and security operations, emergency and crisis response, investigations and threat response, personnel and organizational culture, stakeholder collaboration, fiscal and resource management, performance measurement, continuous improvement, and professional standards and compliance. It provides executive leadership and direct supervision across assigned police, security, communications, administrative, and related personnel, and collaborates with the Superintendent and executive leadership to advance District priorities. The work requires sound judgment and emotional control under stress, including during emergencies, crises, and high-risk situations. It involves frequent interruptions and competing priorities, districtwide travel, and occasional statewide or other travel. Work may take place indoors or outdoors and may involve adverse weather, traffic, crowds, emergency scenes, and potentially dangerous conditions. The position requires a flexible schedule, including prolonged or irregular hours, evenings, nights, weekends, holidays, emergency call-outs, and attendance at District functions and major events.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
Master Peace Officer Proficiency Certificate issued by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE).
Valid Texas Peace Officer license in good standing.
At least 10 years of progressively responsible law enforcement experience.
At least 5 years of command-level, supervisory, or executive law enforcement leadership experience.
Demonstrated experience directing personnel, operations, investigations, emergency response, and organizational resources.
Valid Texas driver’s license with an acceptable driving record.
Extensive knowledge of law enforcement administration, patrol operations, criminal investigations, crime prevention, emergency response, school safety, and security operations.
Thorough knowledge of applicable federal and state laws, Texas criminal and education law, TCOLE requirements, local ordinances, Board policies, administrative regulations, and professional law enforcement standards.
Knowledge of school-based policing and the legal, developmental, operational, and community considerations of serving students in an educational environment.
Knowledge of command-level leadership, organizational management, operational planning, emergency management, critical-incident command, threat assessment, crisis response, interagency coordination, and personnel management.
Ability to develop strategic and operational plans, translate priorities into measurable objectives, and evaluate operations using data and performance measures.
Ability to interpret and apply laws, policies, procedures, regulations, and complex information accurately and consistently.
Ability to make timely, sound decisions in high-pressure, rapidly evolving, sensitive, or ambiguous situations.
Ability to manage budgets, personnel, equipment, facilities, technology, contracts, and other resources effectively.
Ability to communicate complex or sensitive information clearly to District leadership, employees, families, students, law enforcement partners, media, and the public.
Ability to establish effective working relationships across departments, campuses, government agencies, and community organizations.
Strong strategic-thinking, analytical, problem-solving, organizational, interpersonal, written communication, and oral communication skills.
Ability to maintain confidentiality, exercise discretion, and demonstrate sound professional judgment.
Ability to establish and maintain an organizational culture grounded in integrity, service, accountability, sound judgment, and respect.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree from an accredited college or university.
Previous experience as a Chief of Police, Assistant Chief of Police, or comparable executive-level law enforcement leader.
Experience leading law enforcement or security operations in a public school district, governmental entity, or similarly complex organization.
Graduation from an executive or command-level law enforcement leadership program, such as the Leadership Command College, FBI National Academy, or comparable program.

Responsibilities

Provide executive leadership for the District Police Department and establish strategic direction aligned with District priorities and safety needs.
Plan, organize, direct, evaluate, and continuously improve districtwide police, security, and protective-service operations.
Advise the Superintendent and executive leadership on law enforcement, school safety, security risks, emergency response, crime trends, major incidents, and related matters.
Develop departmental goals, operational priorities, performance measures, improvement strategies, policies, procedures, deployment plans, and accountability measures.
Ensure operations comply with applicable laws, regulations, Board policies, District procedures, TCOLE standards, and professional law enforcement practices.
Direct deployment of officers, security personnel, equipment, technology, and other resources across District locations and activities.
Oversee campus and facility coverage and develop operational plans for security, traffic management, crowd control, special events, and other safety needs.
Monitor calls for service, incidents, response times, crime trends, and operational data to identify risks and improvement opportunities.
Provide command leadership during emergencies, critical incidents, significant threats, and crises; coordinate response with District leaders, first responders, and relevant agencies.
Participate in development and improvement of emergency-response and crisis-management protocols, exercises, drills, after-action reviews, and corrective-action plans.
Oversee prompt, objective, thorough investigations of offenses and provide command direction for significant, sensitive, complex, or high-profile investigations.
Direct or oversee threat investigations and coordinate with administrators and multidisciplinary teams on threat assessment and safety matters.
Ensure appropriate evidence handling, investigative documentation, notifications, referrals, reporting, and interagency coordination.
Recruit, select, assign, supervise, develop, evaluate, and retain departmental personnel; establish conduct and performance standards and hold employees accountable.
Develop leadership capacity and succession readiness, ensure appropriate employee training, and promote a professional, collaborative, accountable, service-oriented culture.
Collaborate with campus principals, District leaders, families, students, employees, and community stakeholders on safety and security needs.
Build and maintain professional and mutual-aid partnerships with public-safety, governmental, and community organizations; represent the District in relevant meetings.
Communicate significant incidents, emerging concerns, organizational risks, and material operational matters promptly to executive leadership.
Develop, administer, monitor, and evaluate the department budget and ensure responsible stewardship of funds, personnel, vehicles, equipment, technology, facilities, contracts, and other resources.
Analyze staffing, deployment, overtime, equipment, technology, and expenditures; recommend resource allocations and investments based on demonstrated needs.
Establish performance indicators; analyze operational data and stakeholder feedback; report department performance and risks; review incidents and programs; and implement and monitor improvements.
Maintain departmental integrity, ethics, professionalism, impartiality, and accountability; ensure complaints are reviewed, investigated, documented, and resolved appropriately.
Ensure compliance with licensing, certification, training, reporting, records-management, evidence-management, and other regulatory obligations, and protect sensitive information.
Cooperate with District audits, investigations, legal matters, records requests, and compliance reviews as appropriate.
Attend Board, executive leadership, public, emergency-management, and other District meetings and activities as requested or required.
Be available outside regular business hours to provide command leadership or consultation regarding significant incidents and emergencies.
Perform other duties assigned by the Superintendent.
Provide direct supervision and executive leadership for assigned police, security, communications, administrative, and related personnel; establish organizational structures and effective supervision.
Delegate authority appropriately while retaining accountability for departmental performance, compliance, conduct, fiscal stewardship, operational effectiveness, and service quality.
Lead major cross-functional initiatives, evaluate recommendations and alternatives, and determine courses of action in complex or ambiguous situations.