Employment Opportunity – Chief of Police/Criminal Investigator

The City of Black River Falls, Wisconsin, is accepting applications to fill the position of Chief of Police/Criminal Investigator.  The Chief of Police/Criminal Investigator is responsible for the administration, direction and coordination of the Police Department including a K-9 unit and a volunteer Community Service Officer program.  The City of Black River Falls has a population of 3,622 and  maintains 24 hour law enforcement coverage.

The Department
The Police Department has 7 full-time employees, 4 part-time employees, and 2 volunteers. Full-time staff includes the Chief of Police/Criminal Investigator, 5 full-time Patrol Officers, and an Administrative Assistant. The part-time staff includes 4 part-time Patrol Officers.  The volunteer staff includes 2 non-sworn Community Service Officers.

The 2019 Operating Budget for the department is set at $711,245.00.  The 2019 Capital Budget for the department is set at $32,550.

The Position
The Chief of Police/Criminal Investigator has administrative responsibility for effectively and efficiently planning, organizing, coordinating, directing, and managing operations, fleet maintenance, and all other activities of the Police Department.

The Chief is under the immediate supervision by the City Administrator, and subject to general direction from the Mayor, and Common Council.  A detailed position description is available at City Hall and on-line at blackriverfallswi.gov/forms.

The Chief is an exempt, non-represented employee. The normal work week is Monday through Friday 8:00am – 4:30pm.  The Chief of Police/Criminal Investigator is also expected to attend the Committee of the Whole meeting held the third Wednesday of each month and other meetings as needed.  The position requires working varying hours as needed for law enforcement activities and other department business.

The position’s annual salary is initially established by the City of Black River Falls Hiring Committee and then annually established by the Common Council.  The starting annual salary for the position will be $60,000 – $68,640 depending on qualifications.

An excellent benefit package including health insurance coverage and retirement benefits under the Wisconsin Retirement System accompanies this position. Additional benefits and optional insurances are available.

Required Education, Experience and Certifications
The Chief must have a high school diploma and a minimum of an Associate’s Degree in police science or related field.  Preference will be given to an individual with additional post high school education and/or additional training or certifications in law enforcement and management/supervisory skills.

The successful candidate should have at least 10 years of full-time law enforcement service with at least 3 of those years serving in a supervisory position.

The ideal candidate for this position should also have a track record focused on strong public service, human relations, leadership, managerial, and supervisory skills. This professional, supervisory position must be able to lead the department to full performance capability and achieve high morale. Qualified candidates should possess the skills for writing grant application submissions & organizing people, projects and schedules on an ongoing basis.

The Recruitment Process
Interested applicants MUST submit the following items to the address noted below:

  • A cover letter
  • A current resume, detailing qualifications for this position
  • A list of four (4) professional, work related references
  • A copy of most recent DJ-LE-330 form

A printable PDF version of the application can be found on the City’s website at Forms.

The application form may also be obtained at City Hall located at 101 South Second Street or by contacting the City Administrator via email at city.admin@blackriverfallswi.gov.

The application deadline is end of business on Friday, March 22, 2019.    The application review process will begin on March 26, 2019 and will remain open until the position is filled.

Application materials should be placed in a sealed envelope, addressed as follows, and either mailed or hand-delivered by the deadline noted above to:

City of Black River Falls
Attention: Hiring Committee
101 South Second Street
Black River Falls, WI 54615

Electronic submissions are acceptable and may be forwarded to city.admin@blackriverfallswi.gov. However, applicants must still provide an original signature on the “Authorization / Consent to Release” statement on page 4 of the City of Black River Falls’ Employment Application. This page with original signature should either be mailed or hand delivered in a sealed envelope to the address above.

Applicant names are subject to release pursuant to Wisconsin Statutes, unless confidentiality is requested in writing. Confidentiality cannot be guaranteed for finalists.

The selected candidate will be subject to a background investigation, a physical examination, and a psychological evaluation to determine fitness for duty.

Additional questions on this position or on application procedures may be directed to City Administrator via email at city.admin@blackriverfallswi.gov or by phone at (715) 284-2315.