Chief of Police

Introduction
The City of Marshfield, Wisconsin is seeking qualified applicants for the position of Police Chief. The City is looking for a highly professional and collaborative leader who is committed to integrity, transparency, teambuilding, and is engaged in the best practices in the profession. The successful candidate will have excellent communication and interpersonal skills necessary to build positive working relationships and professional partnerships, and be a collaborative, inclusive, and ethical leader with a desire to mentor and provide professional development within the department. The City's Chief of Police should relate well to the rank and file, and lead with impartiality.
Community Introduction
The community is comprised of approximately 20,000 residents, located within both Wood and Marathon Counties in central Wisconsin. Established in 1872, the City of Marshfield is an inviting place to live, work, and play. The community offers numerous amenities for residents and visitors to enjoy, including a small-town feel, local character, four-season recreational activities for all ages including the recently completed Vandehey Waters Outdoor Aquatic Center, large park/ zoo, and well-connected hiking and biking trails, and an authentic downtown, which offers a variety of shopping, food, and service options.
The community offers highly rated public and private schools, including a branch campus of the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and a branch campus of the Mid-State Technical College System, which provides lifelong learning opportunities. The School District of Marshfield is a progressive, innovative public school system with a community of engaged students, superior staff, supportive families, and community members who pride themselves in preparing all learners to be successful beyond high school graduation. Through exemplary academic and co-curricular programs, learners develop essential skills needed to be creative, critical, and confident problem-solvers who are engaged and motivated to adapt to the constantly evolving world.
The City offers a variety of industries including metal fabrication, manufactured housing, and frac sand processing. The City is the home of the world-renowned Marshfield Clinic Health System, the Marshfield Clinic Research Institute, and Security Health Plan of Wisconsin. Being home to the Marshfield Clinic, the community has a hospital, children's hospital, and ambulatory surgery center.
Governance
The City of Marshfield is a full-service City, comprised of 13 Departments. City services include general government, police protection, municipal court, public works, parks and recreation, library, wastewater treatment, and fire/EMS. The Marshfield government operates under a mayor-council-administrator form of government. The Common Council is made up of ten (10) Alderpersons. The Council shall have all powers of the city not specifically given to some other body or officer, except as otherwise provided in the state statute. The Council shall have the management and control of the City property, finances, highways, navigable waters, and public service. The Common Council appoints a City Administrator to implement the policy decisions of the Mayor and the Council.
The Police Department is specifically governed by the City of Marshfield Fire and Police Commission. This Commission is one of ten in the State of Wisconsin constituted in the manner prescribed by state law with optional powers designated in 62.13(6) Wis. Stat. Specific functions of the Police and Fire Commission include the appointment of the Police Chief, to organize and supervise police department and to prescribe rules and regulations for their control and management; to contract for and purchase all necessary apparatus and supplies for the use of the departments under their supervision; and to audit all bills, claims and expenses of the departments before the same are paid. The five (5) Commissioners are appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by the Common Council for staggering five-year terms.
The City of Marshfield Police Department
The Chief of Police is responsible for 40 sworn officers and 9 civilian personnel. The Department is led by the Police Chief, Assistant Police Chief, 4 Patrol Lieutenants, and 1 Detective Bureau Lieutenant. The Detective Bureau includes 3 General Investigators including a Cybercrime Specialist, 2 Drug Investigators, and a Sensitive Crimes Investigator. The K-9 program includes 2 Patrol Officers and 2 canines. The department has a Special Response Team/Crisis Negotiator Ream with specialized equipment including a drone and an armored vehicle. The Department's fleet has a combination of marked and unmarked vehicles.
The Department has an extensive outreach program, including 2 Police School Liaison Officers, a Traffic and Crime Prevention Officer, a Crossing Guard Program, and a large Police Auxiliary. Civilian Staff include an Administrative Services Coordinator, Administrative Assistant, 3 Records Specialists, 2 Ordinance Officers, and a Custodian. The Police Department has an annual operating budget of approximately $5.6 million.
The Department puts high value on training and education ensuring all officers exceed annual training requirements and are trained for specialty skill sets, which includes crisis intervention training for all. The Department also puts heavy emphasis on community-oriented policing with a strong social media presence and is supported by the community. The Department's has an exceptionally high clearance rate, which was 77% for major crimes in 2020.
The Ideal Candidate
LEADERSHIP - Demonstrated competencies in effective, community-engaged, and strong police leadership. A visible leader who sets an example of integrity and will serve as a role model and representative for the police department and the City. A commitment to leading an open and transparent police department with the goal of maintaining a high degree of community trust. Compassionate, empathetic leadership and a willingness to listen and be responsive to ideas generated by City stakeholders, and a commitment to having consistent dialogue. Must gain the respect of the officers by holding everyone accountable and by communicating that officers' work is valued, motivating them to work to their greatest potential. Must have an excellent ability to communicate the department's accomplishments, in person, in group settings, and through traditional news media and social media.
COLLABORATION - Willingness to use a collaborative team approach to solving problems, and avoiding "silos" within the city organization, with other law enforcement agencies. Public, private, and community stakeholders coming together in a coordinated way to define a problem, shape solutions, leverage resources, and gain credibility and advocacy power to maximize positive outcomes, whether to address internal city financial challenges, or community challenges.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT - Understanding the value of establishing community relationships throughout the department and ensure that community members are treated with respect and dignity. Must work collaboratively with city government, the business community, non-profit and social service organizations to identify innovative ideas for addressing issues that impact the City. Work with businesses and other organizations to establish policies and protocols to support them. Place a priority on finding opportunities for police officers to engage youths and partner with the schools in an effort to build trust and encourage students to have an active role and positive influence in their communities.
INTERPERSONAL SKILLS - Superior interpersonal skills that demonstrate confidence and a commitment to being visible, available, and approachable within the department and in the community. Experience and demonstrated success building strong relationships of trust, mutual understanding, and accountability with the community, with police officers, and with city officials and local and regional public safety partners.
MANAGEMENT SKILLS - Exceptional organizational and management skills, including the ability to promote effective communications throughout the police department. Extensive experience in the many aspects of contemporary policing practices. An understanding of and desire to promote innovation, data driven decision making, and officer training to support and enhance the work of the department that is consistent with and responsive to the needs of the community. Must emphasize employee development. Must possess critical thinking and conflict resolution skills.
Required Education and Experience
Bachelor's degree in Police Science, Business Administration, Communications, Public Administration or a related field, with a minimum of ten years increasing responsible law enforcement experience, five (5) of which have been in a command/supervisory and administrative capacity. The successful candidate must have or obtain a valid Wisconsin driver's license and be LESB certifiable within 12 months through the Law Enforcement Standards Board for the State of Wisconsin. A master's degree, or master's degree in progress is preferred along with additional specialized leadership education, such as program completion through the FBI-National Academy, Northwestern University Center for Public Safety, Southern Police Institute Command courses, or equivalent programs. Completion of ICS-400 preferred.
The successful candidate must also pass all tests including a physical and job function test, psychological examination, drug testing, and a thorough background investigation including their eligibility to provide criminal testimony. Annual firearms evaluation..... click apply for full job details