Police Chief

International City Management•Lynchburg, VA

28d•$175,000

About The Position

The City of Lynchburg is seeking an exceptional, experienced leader to become its next Police Chief, guiding a department that is already recognized as a gold standard in Central Virginia policing. This is an executive opportunity for an individual prepared to sustain and advance existing achievements, as the Lynchburg Police Department (LPD) is a high-performing department. The Chief reports directly to the City Manager and serves a community characterized by its service orientation, historical depth, traditional values, and modern growth. Lynchburg is seeking a leader who can sustain and advance existing achievements and an individual prepared to guide a department that is already committed to operational excellence and strong community partnerships. This role is instrumental in guiding the department's future, ensuring its strategies meet the evolving law enforcement needs of the community while fostering a relationship of trust and transparency. The core mission of the Police Chief is to provide the visionary and strategic direction necessary to maintain the department's effectiveness and ethical foundation. This involves inspiring a diverse team of sworn and professional personnel, actively cultivating a culture defined by high professionalism and unwavering accountability. While the Chief ensures all policies and procedures are rigorously upheld, the internal focus is primarily on elevating personnel through mentorship, actively championing professional development, fostering positive employee relationships, and delegating management responsibilities to a competent team. The department values collaboration and responsiveness, maintaining excellent relationships across all City departments, and actively engaging community leaders and residents through initiatives like bike events, school programs, and neighborhood walks. Officers are trained to interact with the public with dignity and respect, building trust and empathy even in sensitive situations. Equally critical is the Chief's role as the department's primary public face and relationship builder. This leader must bring strategic awareness and relationship-building expertise to engage City leadership and regional law enforcement partners, continuing the strong interagency communication that exists across the City, counties, and surrounding regional entities. This level of engagement extends outward to establish vital working relationships with other law enforcement agencies at the regional, state, and national levels. Administratively, the position requires demonstrating excellence in human resource management-from interviewing and hiring to performance evaluation-and rigorously maintaining compliance standards, especially ensuring transparency and fidelity to bias-free policing principles through data collection and training. Ultimately, the successful Chief will strategically guide the department to meet evolving community needs while successfully upholding and advancing its legacy of trust and transparency.

Requirements

A bachelor's degree in criminal justice, business, public administration, or a related field is required
Extensive policing experience, including five years at the commander/management level
The successful candidate must reside in the City of Lynchburg
They must satisfactorily complete all required background checks

Nice To Haves

A master's degree is preferred.
Continuing professional education in a law enforcement program such as the FBI Academy or the Southern Police Institute.