Chief of Police search - Olympia Fields, Illinois

Application deadline extended to February 18, 2020

The Village of Olympia Fields (population 4,900) is a thriving community in the south suburbs of Chicago. It is best known for its beautiful and charming open spaces, exquisite homes on larger than average tree-lined lots, surrounded by world-class Olympia Fields Country Club, and its significant volunteer organizations. Students in Olympia Fields attend six different public-school districts and several private schools, and they are near several two-year and four-year colleges and universities. These contribute to Olympia Fields being known as one of most affluent, best-educated, majority African-American communities in the United States.

The police department has 20 sworn officers and 4 civilian employees. The village seeks a chief who is experienced in working in a diverse community and dedicated to collaborative leadership and community policing. 

GENERAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF CHIEF OF POLICE

• The Chief of Police is charged with the management, administration and general supervision of the Police Department of the Village of Olympia Fields. To this end, he/she shall be responsible for the good order of the department and attaining/retaining maximum efficiency/effectiveness from personnel, equipment and facilities assigned to him/her. The Chief of Police shall respect and abide by all policies, procedures, written and verbal directives applicable to the position;
• Prescribing, promulgating, and enforcing the policies, rules, regulations, and any other written directives for the department, consistent with the ordinances of the Village of Olympia Fields or the statutes of the State of Illinois.;
• Conferring with his/her subordinates for the purpose of giving instructions to promote uniformity in the administration of the department;
• Establishing such systems of inspection and control as may be necessary to insure efficient administration of the department;
• Preserving the public peace and enforcing state laws and village ordinances of the Village of Olympia Fields;
• Keeping the Village President and Village Administrator informed of any emergency, extraordinary action taken, or necessary deviation from established village policy or procedure;
• Attending all regular Village Board Meetings as requested by the Village Administrator and such other meetings as directed by the Village President or Administrator;
• Supervise the creation and maintenance of daily work records and personnel rating forms and such other records as may be deemed necessary for the successful operation of the Department;
• Preparing and submitting to the Village Board, through the Village Administrator, on or before such annual date as may be designated by constituted authority, a detailed budget for the Village of Olympia Fields Police Department during the ensuing year;
• Oversee training of all members of the department to meet all state requirements and to improve their ability to serve the public more efficiently and to keep members abreast of new development in the law enforcement field;
• Development of leadership within the department for future leadership roles and/or succession;
• Create a command structure and delegate his/her authority as he/she may deem necessary for the effective and efficient administration of the department;
• Exercising all the functions, powers, and duties delegated to him/her by state statute and village ordinance and which are necessary and proper to attain/retain an effective and efficient department capable of protecting and serving the Village of Olympia Fields and its residents.
• Participation in local civic leadership, leading in areas outside of Public Safety if required.
• Work closely and collaboratively with other Olympia Fields municipal departments to enhance the success and safety of local events.
• Coordinate with police departments of adjoining towns and villages as well as county, state, and multi-jurisdictional agencies to provide and take advantage of mutual aid arrangements to facilitate responding to public emergencies and events that require capabilities beyond those of Olympia Fields or our community’s neighbors.
• Research the advisability and feasibility of employing new technologies to improve the efficiency of our police officers, the enforcement of village ordinances and state laws, and the prevention of crime and the apprehension of violators. 

QUALIFICATIONS

• Ten (10) years of experience in law enforcement as a sworn officer with a minimum of five (5) years of law enforcement supervisory experience at a command level.
• Must understand the service needs of diverse communities;
• Must have public safety strategies to coincide with the vision to maintain the nature of the village; 
• Must understand the dynamics of the off-ramping of the healthcare and food desert into the village and develop strategies to respond to it;
• Must understand, have experience or training in public safety considerations for emerging challenges such as Legalized Marijuana; Legalized Casino and Gambling establishments; and social media threats within high schools;
• Must be able to inspire, educate, and speak to the public;
• Must have excellent written and oral communications skills;
• Must demonstrate strong ability to utilize community policing and knowledge of the best practices;
• Demonstrate ability to partner with businesses, hospitals, high school, contracted Fire Department and Homeowners Associations;
• Demonstrate the ability or potential to become a regional leader within the Southern Chicago Suburbs, coordinating with local communities of similar and differing demographics.
• Must demonstrate union contract negotiations skills
• Must understand municipal budgets and demonstrate efficiency while maintaining community safety;
• Must show ability to work with the Village Governance
• Must maintain Village of Olympia Fields Emergency Operations Plan
• Additional consideration given to the candidate willing to relocate the Olympia Fields within nine months after effective date of contract.
• Ideal candidate will have a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice or other field relevant for a police chief; preference  is for a master’s degree.
• Must have a working knowledge of President’s Task Force on 21^st Century Policing
• Must have the ability to build cross-departmental team and collaborative leadership.
• Demonstrate leadership within not just the police department, but the village as well!
• Must be available on Saturday, March 14, 2020, for an all-day assessment in Olympia Fields, Illinois 

HOW TO APPLY

The Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police is assisting the Village of Olympia Fields in this search.

Send cover letter and résumé electronically by February 18, 2020, to: 

Ed Wojcicki, Executive Director
ILACP
426 S. 5^th St.
Springfield, IL 62701

All application documents must be sent as Word or PDF files to [email protected].