Chief of Police – City of Statesboro, GA

About the role

The City of Statesboro, Georgia, is seeking an exceptional, progressive, and highly collaborative law enforcement leader to serve as its next Chief of Police.

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.

The successful candidate will possess 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 Community

Founded in 1803 and serving as the county seat for Bulloch County, Statesboro is a dynamic municipality that serves as the economic and cultural hub of its region. Recognized as a finalist in America’s Best Communities Competition and with its downtown named a Renaissance City by Georgia Trend magazine, Statesboro offers a high standard of living committed to inclusive, high-quality public services.

The community offers an exceptional quality of life, combining a rich Southern heritage and active neighborhood associations with the progressive amenities of a major university town. Statesboro is a diverse, majority-minority community with highly engaged residents. The community offers an exceptional quality of life, combining a rich Southern heritage and active neighborhood associations with the progressive amenities of a major university town.

Duties/Responsibilities

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.

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.

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.

The key position priorities include:

• Establish Trusting Relationships & Enhance Interagency Collaboration: Intentionally listen to internal staff and establish visible trust across all six shifts while proactively building collaborative relationships with the city’s eight neighboring law enforcement agencies, Bulloch County Sheriff’s Office, Georgia Southern University Police, and state/federal partners.
• Employee Retention: Collaborate with City Administration and Human Resources to ensure employee retention strategies are implemented so highly skilled employees are retained.
• Recruitment & Leadership Succession Planning: Prioritize mentoring and preparing the next generation of supervisors while actively recruiting to enhance the department and strategically planning for a wave of senior command-staff retirements over the next 3-5 years.
• Inclusive Community Policing & Crisis Protocol Enhancement: Lead efforts to enhance specialized training for interacting with vulnerable populations, including adults and children in mental health crises or individuals with special needs, such as Autism.
• Data-Driven Crime Prevention: Implement proactive, data-informed strategies (with the utilization of the department’s robust technological infrastructure) to target emerging local challenges, including gang activity and juvenile property crimes.

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 driver's 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.

Residency within the city limits of Statesboro, GA is preferred for this position.

For those without GA certification

The Equivalency of Training (EOT) process may allow an officer who does not possess a GA POST basic law enforcement certification to be exempt from having to complete the entire basic law enforcement training course. Please refer to the GA POST website here for more information.

• Out-of-State Police Officers who have graduated from their states Uniform Police Academy and their certification is valid and in good standing;
• Federal Peace Officers who have graduated from the FLETC Uniformed Police Training Program (UPTP), Mixed Basic Police Training Program (MBPTP), or the equivalency of training.
• United States Military Police Officers (Army, Air Force, and Marines) who have graduated from their branches Basic Military Police Course and possess a minimum of a general discharge under honorable conditions;
• Graduates of the Department of Defense (DOD) Uniformed Police Training Program.

The Successful Candidate

Serves as an honest law enforcement scholar who grounds critical decisions, strategic policies, and public conversations firmly in objective facts and best practices rather than emotion;

Demonstrates extensive experience in respectful, transparent community engagement; remains highly visible and accessible to the public to maintain open dialogue in the face of sensitive issues and an ongoing willingness to educate residents;

Ledes with strategy and adaptability, demonstrating the ability to approach complex public safety challenges creatively while taking time to understand Statesboro’s culture, relationships, and organizational environment before implementing significant change;

Is politically astute and collaborative, able to work effectively with City Council, the City Manager, judges, community organizations, and regional partners while advocating for the department and balancing competing community interests;

Balances effectively operational demands, organizational change, community expectations, and budget realities while pursuing partnerships, funding opportunities, and long-term organizational sustainability.

Additional Information

Salary and Benefits: The salary range for the position is $125,000 to $155,000. Starting salary is dependent on qualifications and experience. The City of Statesboro provides a comprehensive benefits portfolio including health and dental insurance, flexible spending account, robust retirement package, end of the year bonuses, and a health clinic and fitness center for employees and their dependents.