Chief of Police

System

Any local government HR people out there?

We are recruiting for a Police Chief. We will not be promoting from within. We have a small police department - 51 employees.

We will be interviewing soon. What we're looking for is a Chief that knows how to supervise - we have enough super-cops. The chief must know he works for the elected officials and not the FOP.

What kind of questions do you pose to candidates?

THANX!

"Sam"

Parabeagle

Wasn't Charles Moose, was it? (Our former police chief). Well, we've fired another one over here in Portland if you want him. Former LA assistant chief.

Margaret Morford

How about:

Tell us about the last time you got caught between what the Board wanted you to do and what the police officers wanted done. How did you handle it?

Tell us about the last time you had to make a decision that you knew the officers wouldn't like.

Tell about the greatest management challenge you have faced in your career. How long ago was that?

Tell us about the last political "hot potato" you had to handle.

Margaret Morford
theHRedge
615-371-8200
[email]mmorford@mleesmith.com[/email]
[url]http://www.thehredge.net[/url]

Hunter1

Ask them whatever you want, then throw out the answers and do a thorough background investigation by someone you trust and hire based on the background. I've found that there are few managers in police work; I don't think it attracts managers, just highly paid hourly employees. (I say that as a former police officer)

Anyway, here are a couple that I like:

Describe a time when your personal integrity or sense of ethics was challenged and how you handled it.

Describe your leadership style and use an example to show a time when it worked out and one when it didn't.

Describe the most difficult decision you have had to make during your law enforcement career, how you made your decision and how it worked out.

How would your current supervisor finish this statement: ___ would make an outstanding chief if he/she could just learn to _________.

crawfod

Hey, don't steal all the good candidates from my city. We too are looking for a Police Chief for a workforce of 52 officers and 22 civilians, a city in Tennessee of about 23,000. In our state we are fortunate to have a Municipal Technical Advisory Service (MTAS) and our Council is using them as the source for resumes to be sent and screened and narrowed down to 5-7 candidates. FOR FREE! Great for me, so far. I am working with MTAS, coordinated the ads, and will probably get involved later with the interviewing process. We have a 9/26/03 deadline for applying. If you want to share ideas, my email is [email]crawfod@bellsouth.net[/email]. It will be my first Police Chief hiring.

As for questions, I have a number of questions suggested by MTAS, but I still think many of the basic managerial type questions will apply just as well. Good luck.

System

I don't know anything about recruiting chiefs of police but I have encountered many of them whom I would not hire. My advice is to find one who has 'kicked all the ass' he intends to and has no 'image to build'. Find one who is at least 48 and isn't looking to build a legacy and move on to the next level in 7 months. Find one who has compassion, however you define it and can determine it. Find one who has grown children and won't arrest yours for throwing a rock or shooting the bird to an officer. Find one who either is bald or has a receding hairline and isn't particularly impressed with his own appearance on camera or writing a book with his photo on the cover. Find one who doesn't BS his way through an interview with visions of teamwork, discipline and military comraderie. Find one who drives an old car and has a wife with strands of grey and at least 2 grandchildren or a pregnant daughter. Avoid the 'Chiefs Moose' and the 'Detectives Thurmond'. If he tells you his objectives include; a new desk, new computers, upgraded police package Fords, consultants or 'studies', reject him.

WOCO Frank

Outstanding, Don!

blw

Don,
I have to be honest. Sometimes your posts bug me - they make me think, though. But I really like this one, it made me smile. Wouldn't you love it if we could develop tests and/or questions based on those things!

System

>Don,
>I have to be honest. Sometimes your posts bug me -

I am distressed to learn that my posts bug you. What do you mean by that? If I make you think, I have accomplished my objective. If I have pissed you off, I have failed. If you think I am full of crap, I, rather than you, am distressed. Hopefully you will occasionally agree. But, if not, that's ok too.

blw

Don,
I'd say I usually agree with you. Sometimes I think your strong tone is what bugs me, but maybe that's because I have to work to come across so confident! I have a tendancy to second guess myself, but of course, don't want that to show. In this instance, I think you hit the important things square on the head of the nail. Barbara

sonny

Some good questions have been presented. .I particulary liked Hunter's last one and would add another one that substituted current officers/subordinates for supervisor.

Don't write Don's post off as humor. .he raises some good points.

Since you are not filling from within, you may want to pose a question as to coping with disgruntled existing employees who may have wanted or thought they deserved the job.

I would first and foremost, look at your City and it's culture and define what you want from a Chief. Are you looking for a yes man to the Mayor and or City Manager (if that is your form of government)or are you looking for someone to clean up the department, modernize it? Do you want an operations guy or a PR guy? What is the current perception of your Dept? Are you wanting to change it?

This small town at any rate is VERY political and Chief is a KEY position. The tradition is to hire from within and although I would support going outside, it wouldn't happen here. Check out their political aspirations as well (Don alluded to this) I know of one chief who is so busy running for another office that it causing real morale problems. Good luck.