Public Safety Community Engagement Specialist

City of Appleton Wisconsin; Appleton (WI); On-site; USD 52,000 - 76,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Life Insurance

Long-Term Disability Insurance

457 Deferred Compensation Plan

Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS)

Vacation/Paid Time-Off

Paid Holidays

Job summary

The City of Appleton is seeking a full-time Community Engagement Specialist to strengthen ties between the Appleton Police Department and the community through strategic communication and outreach programs. You will work under the Community Resource Unit Captain to bridge the department with civic groups, neighborhoods, and partner organizations.

You will lead outreach, manage events, content updates, and media coordination while ensuring ADA compliance and transparent public messaging.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in communications, public administration, or a related field or equivalent experience.

Responsibilities

• Build, maintain, and strengthen relationships with schools, nonprofits, businesses, neighborhood groups, and Civic organizations.
• Coordinate, support, and attend APD outreach events, community meetings, and engagement initiatives, including evenings and weekends.
• Lead APD’s Neighborhood Watch/Neighborhoods program and volunteer program.
• Facilitate community meetings to gather feedback and build trust.
• Support communications to the community about APD operations and events.
• Respond to inquiries via email, website, and phone with transparent communication.
• Coordinate news conferences, media events, and critical-incident communication.
• Update website content and ensure messaging aligns with APD policy and ADA compliance.
• Track engagement metrics and feedback trends to improve outreach.
• Contribute to Social Media planning and content reflecting APD priorities and safety messaging.
• Capture photos and video for digital storytelling and department visibility.
• Oversee participation in community programs and seasonal campaigns.
• Coordinate logistics for events including planning, staffing, and partnerships.
• Support grants outreach and surveys for community initiatives.
• Collaborate with patrol and internal units to identify engagement opportunities.
• Keep command staff updated on community concerns and department reputation.

Skills

Community engagement

Public speaking

Collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree in communications or related field

Tools

Job description

The City of Appleton is seeking a full-time Community Engagement Specialist to strengthen ties between the Appleton Police Department and the community through strategic communication and outreach programs. You will work under the Community Resource Unit Captain to bridge the department with civic groups, neighborhoods, and partner organizations.

You will lead outreach, manage events, content updates, and media coordination while ensuring ADA compliance and transparent public messaging.