Skills Profile:

Successful candidates consistently demonstrate the ability:

• Lead with integrity, professionalism, and accountability.
• Build trust with employees, elected officials, and the community.
• Create a positive organizational culture that values respect, teamwork, and continuous improvement.
• Make sound decisions during complex, high-pressure situations.
• Develop and mentor future leaders.
• Build collaborative partnerships with internal departments and external agencies.
• Communicate effectively with diverse audiences.
• Balance operational needs with long-term strategic planning.
• Promote innovation while maintaining legal, ethical, and professional policing standards.
• Foster employee engagement and organizational excellence.

Essential Functions:

Executive Leadership

• Provides strategic direction for all Police Department operations.
• Establishes departmental goals, objectives, and performance measures aligned with City priorities.
• Promotes a culture of professionalism, accountability, ethical conduct, and exceptional customer service.
• Leads organizational planning, succession planning, and workforce development initiatives.
• Coaches, mentors, and develops command staff and future leaders.
• Ensures compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, City policies, and professional standards.

Public Safety Operations

• Directs all police operations including patrol, criminal investigations, traffic enforcement, community policing, evidence management, communications, animal control, and emergency response.
• Ensures constitutional policing and adherence to accepted law enforcement best practices.
• Oversees critical incident response and serves as Incident Commander when appropriate.
• Reviews significant investigations, use-of-force incidents, officer-involved critical incidents, and internal investigations.
• Ensures appropriate staffing, deployment, and resource allocation.

Organizational Management

• Develops departmental policies, procedures, and operational directives.
• Evaluates operational effectiveness through performance metrics and data analysis.
• Identifies opportunities for continuous improvement.
• Oversees recruitment, hiring, employee development, discipline, performance management, and succession planning.
• Promotes employee wellness and organizational resilience.

Financial Stewardship

• Develops and administers the Police Department operating and capital budgets.
• Monitors expenditures and ensures responsible stewardship of public resources.
• Identifies and pursues grant opportunities.
• Oversees procurement, fleet management, facilities, technology, and equipment replacement planning.

Community Engagement

• Builds strong relationships with residents, businesses, neighborhood organizations, and regional partners.
• Serves as the Department's primary representative before City Council, advisory boards, community organizations, and public meetings.
• Collaborates with local, state, and federal agencies to improve regional public safety.
• Promotes transparency and public confidence through proactive communication.

Emergency Management

• Assists the City's Emergency Management Coordinator.
• Coordinates law enforcement activities during disasters and emergency incidents.
• Participates in emergency planning, preparedness exercises, and mutual aid coordination.
• Serves within the City's Incident Command System structure during emergencies.

Administrative Responsibilities

• Prepares reports, presentations, and recommendations for the City Manager and City Council.
• Evaluates emerging trends in policing and recommends operational improvements.
• Maintains compliance with TCOLE requirements and applicable regulatory standards.
• Performs other duties as assigned by the City Manager.

Minimum Training, Education, and Experience Required:

• Minimum of ten (10) years of progressively responsible law enforcement experience.
• Minimum of five (5) years of command-level leadership experience (Captain or above).
• Demonstrated experience managing budgets, personnel, and organizational operations.

Equivalent combinations of education and experience may be considered where permitted by law.

Preferred Training, Education and Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice, Public Administration, Business Administration, or related field.
• Executive leadership training through recognized law enforcement programs such as:
• FBI National Academy
• Texas Police Chiefs Leadership Series
• Leadership Command College
• PERF Executive Development
• Northwestern School of Police Staff & Command
• Experience in municipal government.
• Experience with strategic planning, accreditation, grant administration, or organizational change initiatives.

Requirements - Certificates/Licensures:

• Current Texas Peace Officer License issued by TCOLE.
• TCOLE Advanced Peace Officer Certification (Master Peace Officer Certification preferred).
• TCOLE Chief Administrator License or ability to obtain within one year of appointment.
• Valid Texas Driver License.

Core Competencies:

Leadership

• Strategic planning
• Executive decision making
• Coaching and mentoring
• Organizational development
• Change management

Law Enforcement

• Constitutional policing
• Criminal investigations
• Emergency management
• Risk management
• Public safety administration

Communication

• Public speaking
• Media relations
• Conflict resolution
• Negotiation
• Intergovernmental collaboration

Organizational Administration

• Budget management
• Policy development
• Personnel administration
• Data-driven decision making
• Project management

Safety Sensitive:

This position is a safety-sensitive position. All safety-sensitive positions require selected candidates to undergo and successfully complete a post-offer, pre-employment background check to include, criminal background, driving record, drug testing and physical examination. Individuals holding this position will be subjected to random drug testing on a regular basis.

Job responsibilities may be modified by the City of Horseshoe Bay based on business need.

Compensation for this position is dependent upon qualifications.

All job offers are contingent on a background check which includes a criminal background and driver license check. For this position, the job offer will also be contingent on a pre-employment drug test.