Lieutenant

Trustees of Mount Holyoke College; South Hadley (MA); On-site; USD 94,000 - 106,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

403(b) Retirement Plan

Medical, dental and vision insurance

Flexible Spending Account

Disability and Leave Benefits

Life Insurance

Employee Assistance Program

Tuition Benefits

Generous Paid Time Off

Access to campus facilities

Job summary

Mount Holyoke College seeks a Lieutenant to lead its Public Safety and Service department, acting as Watch Commander and ensuring operational and fiscal integrity. The role enforces POST standards, conducts investigations, and maintains coordination with external agencies.

The position requires a Bachelor’s degree, POST certification, SSPO eligibility, and a valid MA driver’s license with critical safety certifications. Salary ranges from $93,913 to $105,899 annually.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and POST certification are required.
• Must meet SSPO eligibility and related statutory requirements.
• Valid MA driver’s license with specified certifications (First Responder, CPR/AED, Suicide Prevention/Mental Health First Aid).

Responsibilities

• Exercise executive command over department personnel and campus operations during tours.
• Coordinate emergency management, mass notifications, and critical incident response.
• Oversee administrative, fiscal, dispatch, and investigative functions with proper audits and reporting.
• Ensure compliance with POST‑C, CSA/Title IX roles, and internal affairs processes.
• Supervise staffing, training, and inter‑agency liaison duties; manage schedules and events.

Education

Bachelor’s degree

POST Certification

SSPO eligibility under M.G.L. c. 22C, § 63

Job description

Job no: R-0000003816 Position Title: Lieutenant Faculty or Staff: Staff Full Time or Part Time: Full time In-Person, Hybrid, or Remote: In-Person Minimum Starting Rate of Pay: $93,913.00 Rate of pay commensurate with experience Start Date: 12/01/2026

Job Description: The rank of Lieutenant is an executive command-level position responsible for maintaining operational efficiency, discipline, fiscal responsibility, and professional integrity across all department operations. Acting as the Watch Commander in the absence of senior directors, the Lieutenant exercises full decision‑making authority, maintains strict administrative and policy oversight, enforces POST‑C standards of conduct, and upholds the mission and core values of Mount Holyoke College. This position establishes operational command authority, administrative responsibilities, physical expectations, and statutory compliance requirements for the rank of Lieutenant within the Mount Holyoke College Department of Public Safety and Service, ensuring full compliance with the Massachusetts Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Commission certification mandates.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Operational Command & Watch Command Authority: Exercise operational authority over department personnel and campus facilities during assigned tours of duty; maintain real‑time situational awareness by actively monitoring field operations and dispatch activity. Oversee roll call procedures, clarify directives, assign patrol sectors, and resolve operational ambiguities. Ensure shift coverage meets departmental minimum staffing requirements. Perform campus patrols as necessary to maintain command visibility and support operational readiness. Compile, review, and distribute the daily Watch Commander Report to Senior Command Staff and designated administrators summarizing all shift activity, incidents, and arrests.
• Emergency Management & Critical Incident Response: Authorized and designated to issue emergency mass notifications (e.g., active threat, armed robbery, hazardous material leaks, explosions) to alert the campus community. Determine whether immediate transmission is required due to an imminent threat or if a brief delay is appropriate to consult senior administrators. Execute mandatory command notifications (pursuant to Policy 003), ensuring immediate contact with the Director and Associate Director for major crimes, serious injuries, significant campus disruptions, or use‑of‑force incidents. Coordinate, plan, and supervise safety, parking arrangements, and logistics for major campus events, athletic competitions, and VIP visits.
• Administrative, Fiscal, Dispatch & Investigative Oversight: Manage shift overtime budgets, detail billing accounts, and departmental equipment procurement for assigned divisions. Direct and supervise investigative and evidence functions. Ensure proper chain of custody, evidence security, and timely assignment of felony/complex cases to investigators. Provide direct oversight to the Manager of Dispatch Operations; monitor dispatch workflows, address operational bottlenecks, and ensure communications compliance. Review and approve all incident and operational reports filed during the tour of duty to ensure accuracy, completeness and policy compliance. Conduct impartial internal affairs investigations into administrative or citizen complaints against personnel as assigned by the Chief of Police, maintaining compliance with POST‑C reporting requirements for officer misconduct. Manage department schedules for patrol, dispatch, parking enforcement, and special event details, ensuring fiscal efficiency and compliance with collective bargaining agreements or staffing policies. Oversee the Field Training Officer (FTO) program and background investigations for prospective sworn and non‑sworn hires.
• Duty to Intervene & POST‑C Reporting Compliance (M.G.L. c. 6E): Maintain a mandatory obligation to intervene directly and immediately report any observed or reported excessive use of force, unlawful arrest, or violation of constitutional rights by subordinates or peer officers pursuant to M.G.L. c. 6E. Maintain direct responsibility for intake, preliminary documentation, and immediate supervisor notification regarding any POST‑C reportable misconduct events (e.g., use of force resulting in injury, bias complaints, weapon discharge).
• Statutory Institutional Mandates (CSA & Title IX): Serve as a formally designated Campus Security Authority (CSA) under the federal Clery Act, required to immediately transmit all reports of Clery‑reportable crimes to the Clery Compliance Officer. Serve as a designated Responsible Employee under Title IX, obligated to report disclosures of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, or stalking directly to the Title IX Coordinator.
• Inspections, Audits, Inter‑Agency Liaison & Mentorship: Conduct regular inspections of shift personnel, uniforms, duty equipment, cruisers, and holding facilities to ensure operational readiness and compliance with MPAC standards. Maintain collaborative working relationships with counterparts in the South Hadley Police Department, South Hadley Fire Department, and regional agencies. Document all inter‑agency mutual aid requests in the Watch Commander Report. Serve as an executive resource, mentor, and problem‑solver for Sergeants, officers, and professional support staff.
• Other duties as assigned

SKILLS / KNOWLEDGE / EDUCATION / CERTIFICATIONS

• 1. Required Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university required. Must hold and maintain active Peace Officer Certification in good standing from the Massachusetts Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Commission. Must meet and maintain all statutory requirements for appointment as a Special State Police Officer (SSPO) pursuant to M.G.L. c. 22C, § 63. Valid Massachusetts Motor Vehicle Operator’s License; active certifications in First Responder, CPR/AED, and Suicide Prevention / Mental Health First Aid. Successful completion of a formal supervisory probationary period (6 to 12 months) upon appointment.
• 2. Preferred Master’s degree in Criminal Justice, Public Administration, or a related field. Alternatives to formal education and paid work experience may be considered as equivalent qualifications to include military service/training, volunteering, activism, and other non‑traditional programs and experiences related to the position.

Hiring Range: $93,913 – $105,899

What We Offer

• 403(b) Retirement Plan (College contributes 9% of salary)
• Comprehensive medical, dental and vision insurance
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
• Disability and Leave Benefits
• Life Insurance (College paid coverage 1x salary)
• Employee Assistance Program
• Tuition Benefits (to Mount Holyoke College or others)
• Generous Paid Time Off
• Access to Kendall Sports & Dance Complex

Background Checks: Mount Holyoke College is committed to providing a safe and secure environment, supported by qualified employees that will allow all of its students, faculty, staff and those associated with them to successfully carry out the mission of the college. As a condition of employment, the College will conduct appropriate background checks for all new hires. Mount Holyoke has designated the Office of Human Resources as the office responsible for ensuring that background checks (CORI, SORI, Credit History, & Driver Credential) are completed and utilized in the hiring process and Five College Office of Compliance and Risk Management as the office responsible for facilitating background checks as articulated in this policy.

Mount Holyoke College is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE) Mount Holyoke College, the leading gender‑diverse women’s college, is dedicated to providing equal employment opportunities for all individuals regardless of their race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or any other legally protected status. We are a diverse community of staff, faculty, and students, united in our mission to offer an intellectually adventurous education in the liberal arts through academic programs that are renowned internationally for their cross‑disciplinary excellence, experiential approach, and commitment to diversity.

Mount Holyoke College is a welcoming and inclusive environment that values and respects individuals of all backgrounds. As an EOE, we encourage members of historically underrepresented groups or nontraditional backgrounds to apply for open positions at our institution. The College has a long‑standing tradition of providing women and other historically underrepresented groups with access to an innovative educational experience that prepares students for purposeful leadership by integrating hands‑on opportunities into the curriculum. We firmly believe that diversity enriches our community and enhances our ability to prepare students for success in an increasingly globalized world. We are dedicated to providing equal opportunities for all qualified applicants and to building an exemplary workforce that reflects the diversity of our student body and the communities we serve. Our ultimate goal is to produce graduates who are capable of engaging thoughtfully, effectively, and boldly with the world.

It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment.