Police Chief

Bridgewater, VA; Bridgewater (VA); On-site; USD 101,920 - 135,200; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health and dental insurance

VRS retirement

Paid vacation and sick leave

Job summary

Town of Bridgewater is seeking a Police Chief to lead a small department, overseeing operations, budgeting, and policy development.

We require a DCJS-certified officer with strong management skills, a commitment to community policing, and the ability to work with the Town Manager and other departments to serve citizens.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated knowledge of state and federal law concerning police responsibilities.
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent knowledge and skills.
• Considerable management experience, preferably with a law enforcement agency.
• Calmness under pressure.
• Strong commitment to community policing.
• Proficient with standard office software and web applications used by law enforcement.

Responsibilities

• Administer the department, including scheduling, organization, and direction of all police operations.
• Handle personnel issues, subject to oversight by the Town Manager.
• Handle police publicity and information, in coordination with the Town’s Communications Director.
• Manage equipment utilization and replacement planning.
• Assist the Manager and Treasurer with budgeting and capital planning.

Skills

Leadership

Management experience

Calm under pressure

Community policing

Computer skills

Knowledge of law

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Office software

Web applications

Job description

Role

Bridgewater is a growing and active community with a strong tradition of public service and a commitment to “A Better Life.” Our Police Chief leads a department with nine other officers and an administrative assistant. The department provides police services to Bridgewater and the Town of Mt. Crawford.

This is a highly visible leadership position. The Chief is expected to spend substantial time:

• Interacting with the community
• Teaching and mentoring officers of all ranks
• Working with other Town departments to ensure that our whole staff operates as one team

Of course, there are less visible roles as well, such as budgeting, scheduling, drafting policies, and complying with state and federal mandates.

The Police Chief reports to the Town Manager. That said, on a day-to-day basis, the strategies and tactics of police work are generally left to the good judgment of the Chief.

As with all of our upper management, we expect the Chief to:

• Follow the law
• Lead by example
• Communicate clearly and honestly with those above and below in the chain-of-command
• Hold employees accountable fairly and consistently
• Preserve a positive and productive work culture
• Be proactive
• Think beyond the Police Department, considering our staff as one team serving citizens
• Value teamwork and professionalism
• Recognize that we’re all here to serve the citizens, not ourselves

Compensation
The Chief of Police is a full-time P10 position with a salary range of $101,920 to $135,200 ($49.00 - $65.00 hourly). Your exact salary will depend upon your qualifications and experience. The maximum salary is not intended for new hires, but we might pay it for the “perfect” candidate. (That said, our experience is that no one is perfect.) The Town offers excellent benefits including health and dental insurance, VRS retirement, and vacation and sick leave.

Hours
Generally speaking, the Chief is expected to be on duty from Monday through Friday, 8:30 am to 5:00 pm. But part of being a chief is that sometimes you have to be present at odd hours too.

Responsibilities

• Administer the department, including the scheduling, organization, and direction of all police operations
• Handle personnel issues, subject to oversight by the Town Manager
• Handle police publicity and information, working in concert with the Town’s Communications Director
• Manage equipment utilization and replacement planning
• Assist the Manager and Treasurer with budgeting and capital planning

Qualifications

• Demonstrated knowledge of state and federal law concerning police responsibilities
• A bachelor’s degree (but we readily acknowledge that there are other ways to obtain the same knowledge and skills)
• Considerable management experience, preferably with a law enforcement agency
• Calmness under pressure
• A strong commitment to community policing
• Good computer skills, at least to the point of proficiency with standard office software and the various web applications that law enforcement agencies are forced to use

The selected candidate must be a DCJS-certified law enforcement officer and will be subject to a criminal background check.

To apply

Please submit a resume, cover letter, and three references to [e-mail] . (Seriously, please apply in the manner laid out, because we see it as a test of attention to detail.)

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, or veteran status. The Town of Bridgewater is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Rev. 07-17-2026.