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The City of Show Low is seeking a CHIEF OF POLICE "A Passion for Excellence!" Unique Opportunity M ost people only dream about living and working in an area that feels like you’re always on vacation. The City of Show Low, regional hub of the beautiful White Mountains in northeastern Arizona, offers that unique quality of life not found in many other places. The crisp mountain atmosphere, mild four-season climate, close proximity to National Forests and countless lakes and streams make Show Low a recreation paradise. The City of Show Low is seeking a highly skilled, motivated and innovative professional to join our community and our CALEA-accredited police department as its next Chief of Police.The Community Show Low is the largest and fastest-growing city in the White Mountains. It is the business and tourism center of northeastern Arizona and serves a permanent population of approximately 11,000 residents. Our permanent population has seasonal spikes due to tourism and the second-home market that causes the population to swell to well over 20,000. Show Low has experienced dynamic growth as its population has increased over 36% since 2000. The area population is young and dynamic as 61% are under the age of 44 and the median age is 36.4 years. The population is also well educated; over 83% are high school-educated and 25% are college educated. Almost 52% of the population has some college education. Show Low has an excellent educational system. The Show Low Unified School District is ranked among the best in the State of Arizona. Show Low public schools routinely score very high nationally on standardized tests and boast graduation rates above 95%. Show Low is home to Northland Pioneer College and a branch campus of Northern Arizona University. Northland Pioneer College offers associate degree programs in a variety of fields including computer, medical, industrial and electronics technologies, as well as business. Northern Arizona University offers a wide range of online degree programs. Show Low’s medical infrastructure is impressive. Summit Healthcare Regional Medical Center is a private, not-for-profit regional facility with 89 beds. The hospital features an outstanding physician staff representing a variety of medical specialties including cardiology, obstetrics, oncology, physical therapy, diagnostic imaging and surgical services. The five-story patient tower provides an ICU unit, medical/surgical unit, women’s health unit, an observation nursery, and 100% of all rooms are private. Show Low is the gateway to the White Mountains of Arizona and the quality of life here is unequaled anywhere. The area is famous for world-class hunting and fishing. Show Low sits within a 2,000,000-acre National Forest playground. These forests produced the current world-record typical elk. There are over 50 lakes and streams in the area that have produced current state-record fish for six different species. Show Low provides a refreshing summertime respite from triple-digit temperatures for golfers from Phoenix and Tucson. There are seven courses in the area including championship courses at Torreon and Bison Golf and Country Club. Show Low also boasts over 180 miles of trails in the vicinity for hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding. The White Mountain Trail System is among the best in the Southwest. For winter activities, Sunrise Park Resort is located only 36 miles from Show Low and offers 65 runs and 10 chair lifts as well as separate snowboarding and cross-country ski areas. Show Low’s numerous outdoor recreational opportunities combined with its festivals and unique events make it a four-season paradise and THE place to be in the White Mountains. Show Low residents also enjoy easy access to the amenities of Phoenix, Tucson and Albuquerque, all located within easy driving distance of the City of Show Low. How Show Low got its name Marion Clark and Corydon E. Cooley owned 100,000 acres. They decided to play a game of cards; winner to take the ranch. The game lasted all night. When the last hand began, Cooley needed one point. Clark told Cooley "SHOW LOW and the ranch is yours." Cooley turned the deuce of clubs, thereby naming SHOW LOW. The main street became the Deuce of Clubs. City Government The City of Show Low operates under a Council- Manager form of government. The seven-member City Council is elected to staggered four-year terms, with each Council member and the Mayor directly elected at large. The City Manager is directly appointed by the City Council. It is the responsibility of the City Council to set policy, and the City Manager serves as the chief executive officer of the City. The City Manager is responsible for managing the organization and carrying out the policies of the City Council. Show Low is a full-service city providing police, water, wastewater, parks, recreation, library, planning, airport and public works services and programs. Fire service is provided by an independent fire district. The City of Show Low has a workforce of 152.2 FTEs (full-time equivalents) and an adopted budget of $62.8 million. The city’s General Fund budget for FY2013 is $15.9 million. The Police Department Mission, Vision and Values: The Police Department’s mission is to have "A Passion for Excellence!" The values of the agency are expressed with the acronym PRIDE: v Professionalismv Respectv Integrityv Dignityv ExcellenceOne of the smallest CALEA-accredited agencies in the country, the City of Show Low Police Department is a regional leader in the state and in the White Mountains—exemplifying its mission. The department has a full-time staff of 31 sworn officers, 10 dispatchers, and 6 additional non-sworn staff. The department’s current fiscal year operational budget is $5.5 million with an additional $400,000 in capital and one-time grants. The department is comprised of two divisions, Operations and Operational Support. Sworn staff consists of the Chief, two Commanders, six Sergeants and 22 officers. The Operations Division is divided into patrol, traffic and investigations. The patrol section consists of four squads, covering the various shifts around the clock. Investigations is supervised by a sergeant and has three detectives, two school resource officers, reserve officers and the property and evidence function. The traffic unit is supervised by a sergeant and is responsible for managing the photo enforcement program. Lastly, an additional sergeant reports to the Operations Commander and is responsible for supervising the regional drug task force, MCAT. The Operational Support Division consists mainly of the administrative functions of office management and records, combined with operating the Communications Center. The department dispatches our police officers for all 911 calls and is also responsible for dispatching five regional fire districts and the local ambulance company. Chief of Police The Chief of Police reports to the City Manager and serves as a member of the City’s Executive Leadership Team. The Chief provides leadership, mentoring, direction and management for the Police Department including personnel, budgeting, emergency management and all operational decisions. Primary responsibilities include making recommendations to the City Manager and City Council; developing and implementing the strategic direction and policy for the department; setting the tone, climate and vision for the department, ensuring compliance with statutory responsibilities and directives; and ensuring overall public safety for the community. The Chief of Police must endeavor to be an active and respected member of the community. Current Issues and Priorities Among the key issues and priorities that will demand the immediate and near-future attention of the new Chief include: v Evaluation and potential transition to a comprehensive countywide regional dispatch center and operation involving a host of other public safety entities.v Assessment and evaluation of the city’s photo enforcement program and the contract, which is up for renewal in 2014. Photo enforcement has proven effective; however, it continues to be a highly debated issue.v Management of a hiring and retention program in a statewide environment of competitive hiring and frequent personnel movement to ensure full staffing, adequate training, career development and appropriate supervision for all employees.v Completion of a comprehensive organizational assessment of the Police Department. The new Chief of Police will need to build upon the successes to date by evaluating the department’s make-up, processes and systems with the goal of ensuring that the department is poised to address the needs and desires of the community, now and into the future. The Ideal Candidate The ideal candidate is a veteran, results-oriented police professional with diverse experience who has outstanding leadership and interpersonal skills. Desirable candidates will have a proven track record of effectively leading change, improving customer service, holding themselves and others accountable and building mutually productive relationships with a wide variety of internal and external stakeholders. A history of commitment to staff development, succession planning and empowerment is highly desirable. The ideal candidate is a strategic thinker who can plan and execute police activities by combining strong leadership abilities with a collaborative/inclusive approach. Strong candidates will have a proven record of interactions throughout an organization of similar or larger size and will have a demonstrated commitment to lifelong learning and professional development. Additionally, the ideal candidate will have experience in public relations and implementing community policing programs focusing on problem solving, partnerships and crime prevention. Education and Experience Any combination of education and experience that will provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. Typically, a qualified candidate will possess at least a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college and have a minimum of 10 years of police experience with at least 3 years of command-level experience managing patrol, traffic, safety, investigations, emergency preparedness, communications activities or other operations of a municipal law enforcement agency. Strong candidates will possess significant budgeting and personnel management experience with a clear understanding of the fiscal realities faced by organizations. Graduation from the FBI National Academy or similar executive development program is highly desirable. In addition, the successful candidate must be AZ POST-certified or certifiable within 6 months of employment, possess a valid Arizona driver’s license and successfully complete a background investigation and other requirements of AZ POST. Personality/Management Style Other skills and traits that are beneficial include: v High integrity and solid character; honest and directv Displays a high degree of political sophistication, but remains apoliticalv Passion for community and public service with a strong customer service ethicv Superior communicator who can quickly cultivate and maintain trust and confidence with a variety of audiences, including the Manager, City Council, peers, subordinates and citizensv Ability to present complex information and subject matter in a format that is concise and understandable to the lay audience; can focus discussions on policy ramificationsv Displays a command presence; holds self and others accountable for the success of the departmentv Consensus-builderCompensation and Benefits The full salary range for the Chief of Police position is $88,161 – $123,425. Actual salary will depend on the qualifications of the successful candidate, and will be above the starting point in the range. The City of Show Low offers a competitive benefit package that includes: v Public Safety Personnel Retirement Systemv Arizona State Retirement System for PSPRS retireesv City contributes to health, dental and vision coverage for employee and dependentsv Group life insurance 2 times your annual salary (100% paid by employer)v Short-term disability (100% paid by employer)v Paid time off – accrual begins at 19 days per yearv Holidays – 10 paidv Deferred compensation – Optional IRS 457 planv $1,400 annual uniform allowancev City-provided vehiclev Wellness programv Relocation assistanceApplication and Selection Procedure This recruitment is open until filled. First review of applicants will be Wednesday, May 1, 2013. To be considered for this outstanding career opportunity, please submit a cover letter, resume, current salary and list of four work-related references (who will not be contacted in the early stages of the recruitment process). Resumes should reflect years and months of positions held, as well as size of staff and budget that you have managed. Please submit the entire package to: City of Show Low Stephanie McQuillan Human Resources 180 N. 9th Street Show Low, AZ 85901 Phone: (928) 532-4027 Email: smcquillan@showlowaz.gov Website: showlowaz.gov/chiefofpolice Candidates deemed to have the most relevant background will be invited to participate in a preliminary screening interview. Finalists will be selected and invited to participate in the city’s interview and assessment process. All final candidates will be required to complete a City of Show Low Police Department Employment Application. For additional information about this position, please contact Stephanie McQuillan.
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