Police Chief

Bridgeton Police Department; Bridgeton (MO); On-site; USD 140,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

The Bridgeton Police Department seeks a dynamic Police Chief to provide visionary leadership, guide operations, and uphold public safety for the City of Bridgeton, MO. The ideal candidate has seven+ years of progressively responsible law enforcement experience, at least three years in a senior command role, and a track record in budgeting, policy development, and community engagement.

A Bachelor's degree is preferred, with FBI National Academy or executive leadership training highly desirable.

Qualifications

• Minimum five (5) years of law enforcement experience.
• Minimum of seven (7) years of progressively responsible law enforcement experience.
• At least three (3) years of senior command-level experience in a municipal, county, or state agency.
• Experience managing large divisions with staffing, budgeting, policy development, and strategic planning.
• Experience working in a diverse community and with elected officials.
• Education and training credentials demonstrating preparation for advanced leadership.

Responsibilities

• Provides visionary leadership and establish strategic goals, objectives, and performance standards for the Department.
• Plans, organizes, directs, and evaluate all departmental operations, programs, and services.
• Oversees law enforcement operations, investigations, patrol services, and community policing initiatives.
• Directs response to major incidents, emergencies, and disasters.
• Serves as the Department’s primary liaison to the Mayor, City Administrator, City Council, and media.
• Promotes community trust through transparency, engagement, and responsive service.
• Ensures compliance with laws, accreditation standards, and internal investigations.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Budget management

Community engagement

Policy development

Crisis management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice or related field

Master's degree preferred

FBI National Academy or executive leadership training preferred

Tools

CALEA accreditation familiarity

POST certification eligibility

Job description

City of Bridgeton Police Chief Recruitment and Selection Profile

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

Leadership & Administration

• Provides visionary leadership and establish strategic goals, objectives, and performance standards for the Department.
• Plans, organizes, directs, and evaluate all departmental operations, programs, and services.
• Develops, implements, and will enforce departmental policies, procedures, and best practices in accordance with local, state, and federal laws.
• Fosters a culture of professionalism, accountability, transparency, and ethical conduct.
• Actively pursues advanced training to expand leadership skills, knowledge, and best practices in policing.

Operations Oversight

• Oversees law enforcement operations, criminal investigations, patrol services, community policing initiatives, and specialized units.
• Ensures effective deployment of personnel and resources to meet community needs.
• Directs response to major incidents, emergencies, critical events, and disasters.
• Monitors crime trends and implement proactive strategies to enhance public safety.

Personnel Management

• Leads, mentors, supervises a command staff of 54 full-time sworn officers and 7 civilian staff.
• Oversees recruitment, hiring, training, evaluation, and discipline of employees.
• Promote employee engagement, morale, and leadership development at all levels.

Fiscal Management

• Prepares, present s, and administer s the Department’s $8m+ annual budget.
• Ensures responsible stewardship of public funds and oversight of grants and special funding sources.
• Identifies funding opportunities and manage long-term capital planning for equipment and facilities.

Community & Government Relations

• Serves as the Department’s primary liaison to the Mayor, City Administrator, City Council, Police Commission, community groups, partner agencies, and the media.
• Builds and maintains collaborative relationships with residents, businesses, civic leaders, and regional law enforcement agencies.
• Promotes community trust through transparency, engagement, and responsive service.
• Represents the Department at public meetings, community events, and professional associations.
• Implement and evaluate programs in order to maintain effective law enforcement for the City of Bridgeton, MO.

Compliance & Accountability

• Ensures compliance with applicable laws, accreditation standards, and regulatory requirements.
• Oversees internal investigations and ensure fair and consistent disciplinary practices.
• Develops and maintain s systems for performance measurement and continuous improvement.

Minimum Education & Experience

The Police Chief shall have a minimum of five (5) years experience in law enforcement and must be a high school graduate or equivalent

Preferred Education: The Chief of Police shall possess a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in Criminal Justice, Public Administration, Business Administration, Political Science, or a closely related field. In lieu of a bachelor’s degree, a combination of relevant higher education and successful completion of the FBI National Academy or an equivalent executive-level law enforcement leadership training program may be considered. All education and training credentials must demonstrate preparation for advanced leadership, organization management, and professional law enforcement administration.

A master’s degree in criminal justice, Public Administration, Organizational Leadership, or a closely related field is preferred and will be considered a significant asset.

Experience

• Minimum of seven (7) years of progressively responsible law enforcement experience.
• At least three (3) years of senior command-level experience (e.g., Major, Colonel, Deputy Chief, Assistant Chief, or equivalent rank) in a municipal, county, or state law enforcement agency.
• Or an equivalent combination of education and experience preferred.
• Demonstrated experience managing large divisions or agencies with responsibility for staffing, budgeting, policy development, and strategic planning.
• Experience working in a diverse community.
• Proven record of community engagement, collaborative problem-solving, and implementing crime reduction strategies.
• Experience working with elected officials, city administrators, community organizations, and external oversight bodies.

There is no residency requirement

Certification & Licensing

• Must possess or be eligible to obtain Missouri Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) certification.
• Valid driver’s license required.
• US Citizenship as required by section 590.030 of RSMo.
• FBI National Academy, or equivalent executive law enforcement leadership training, is highly desirable.

Preferred Qualifications

• Demonstrated success in leading organizational change and modern policing initiatives.
• Experience in accreditation processes (e.g., CALEA), or department reform efforts.
• Strong background in fiscal management, including preparation and oversight of budgets.
• Training and demonstrating competence in de-escalation, constitutional policing, procedural justice, and use-of-force policy development.
• Values and successfully maintains regional and inter-agency cooperation and partnerships.
• Experience serving a police department similar in size and complexity to Bridgeton, MO.
• Experience leveraging data analytics, technology, and intelligence-led policing strategies.
• Demonstrates an ability