Chief of Police

Chief of Police

City of Statesboro, GA

The City of Statesboro, Georgia, is seeking an exceptional, progressive, and highly collaborative law enforcement leader to serve as its next Chief of Police. This is an extraordinary opportunity to lead a dedicated, state-certified law enforcement agency in a vibrant, rapidly growing university community that has experienced a steady decade-long decrease in major crimes. The ideal candidate will be a visionary professional who excels in community-oriented policing, possesses outstanding communication skills, and is deeply committed to mentoring and developing a young, talented police force.

Statesboro's next Chief of Police is a resilient and compassionate law enforcement professional who possesses the following attributes:

• Grounded Street Experience: A solid foundation in traditional field operations (Patrol and Investigations) with demonstrable experience and implementation of best practices in rapid response situations such as critical roadside decisions and homicide investigations.
• Facilitative, "Walk-the-Talk" Leadership: A humble and authentic executive who sets a high standard of personal and professional integrity. Someone who delegates effectively, gives Captains the latitude to lead their bureaus, and supports staff through honest mistakes while holding them accountable to high standards.
• High Emotional Intelligence & Keen Problem-Solver: An exceptional communicator who remains calm under pressure, listens actively, and can navigate public criticism and modern social media narratives transparently and professionally.
• Government Team Player: A leader who recognizes that the police department is part of a larger city team, demonstrating a willingness to collaborate unselfishly with a diverse group of stakeholders including other city directors, staff, city leaders and the community at-large.
• Cultural & Historical Awareness: A deep understanding of the historical complexities of law enforcement interactions with diverse populations and a demonstrated commitment to visible, inclusive public leadership.

About the Organization, Department and Position:

The City of Statesboro operates under a highly professional council-manager form of government, where the democratically elected Mayor and City Council appoint a professional City Manager to direct day-to-day municipal operations. Statesboro's annual FY2027 budget of $111.3M supports a dedicated workforce of 360 full-time employees who are passionately driven by the city's mission: to provide the most responsive and progressive public services so that residents, businesses, and visitors can enjoy the highest quality of life the region has to offer. Employees function in alignment with a unified vision to build a vibrant, safe, and inclusive community, prioritizing organizational values such as integrity, innovation, stewardship, and remaining explicitly mission focused.

The Statesboro Police Department (SPD) operates with a mission to create a safe community by reducing crime, building trust, and ensuring public safety within the framework of the United States Constitution. The department is structured into three primary bureaus-Patrol, Operations, and Administration-each under the direct leadership of an experienced Captain.

Reporting directly to the City Manager, the Chief of Police provides strategic direction, administration, and leadership for all operations of the department, directing and overseeing all uniform patrol, criminal investigations, and administrative bureaus. The Chief of Police develops and manages the department's $13M budget and leads the department's team of 79-full time authorized sworn staff and 20 full-time civilian staff. Statesboro's Chief of Police is tasked with formulating, updating, and implementing departmental policies, procedures, and best practices.

SPD is highly respected for its professional standards and has maintained an excellent track record of solving major crimes through its experienced, team-oriented Criminal Investigations Division. The agency has successfully leveraged grant funding to implement cutting-edge technology, including modern drone programs and widespread camera networks. Employee morale is high, supported by excellent equipment, a K-9 unit, an employee-favored work schedule bidding system, and an established Police Foundation that provides additional support to the workforce.

Qualifications:

• A bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice, Public Administration, or a closely related field is required. A master's degree is strongly preferred due to the academic nature of the university community.
• Must have ten (10) years of increasingly responsible law enforcement experience to include patrol, criminal investigations, supervision and top departmental management, including 5 or more years of increasingly responsible management experience at the rank of Captain or higher; or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience.
• Graduation from a premier national or regional leadership academy-such as the FBI National Academy, Northwestern Center for Public Safety, Southern Police Institute, or Command College is highly preferred.
• Must possess or be able to readily obtain a valid State of Georgia drivers license. Must fully meet or be capable of meeting all current certification requirements set forth by the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Council. See the full job posting for information regarding candidates without GA basic law enforcement certification.
• Residency within the city limits of Statesboro, GA is preferred for this position.