Description
Community Description
Wyoming is a vibrant, diverse community covering 25 square miles on the southwest side of Grand Rapids. Home to approximately 78,000 residents, Wyoming has a mix of commercial and industrial businesses and offers a high quality of life to its residents with 21 city parks, community events, restaurants, shopping, and several school districts.
About Wyoming Police Department
Wyoming Police Department (WYPD) employs 103 sworn officers and 14 civilian support staff. The department offers specialized unit opportunities including investigative division, K9 unit, tactical team, crisis negotiation, motorcycle unit, community services unit, Kent Area Narcotics Team, tactical bike team, and more.
The department is one of 12 agencies in the State of Michigan that is CALEA accredited. According to the international standard of CALEA, Wyoming meets 484 standards of professional policing. WYPD is proud to represent the best police services to the residents of the city. To learn more about our CALEA accreditation, visit our CALEA information page.
The Opportunity
The City of Wyoming seeks a dedicated and experienced candidate to lead the WYPD. As police chief, you will partner with other city leaders to advance strategic goals, protect public safety, and strengthen relationships throughout the community. You will provide leadership and oversight for department operations while fostering a culture of professionalism, accountability, trust, and operational excellence. This role requires strong communication, sound judgment, and a commitment to effective policing.
In addition to competitive wages of $115,000–$163,000 for the position (dependent on qualifications), the City of Wyoming provides a generous benefits package, including:
- Four-day workweek
- Employer contributes 8% to a 401(a) plus approximately 4% to a Post-Employment Health Plan
- Comprehensive health insurance through Priority Health
- Employer-paid dental, vision, and AD&D life insurance
- Language incentive pay for multi-lingual employees
- Employer commitment to education, training, and development
- Paid leave time including holidays, sick, vacation, and personal days
- Free access to an employee assistance program
Requirements
Required Education and Certification
- Bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, police administration, or related field. Master’s degree is preferred.
- Attained the rank of captain, deputy police chief, or chief at your respective department.
- Ability to be certified as a police officer in the State of Michigan.
- Graduate from Northwestern School of Staff and Command, FBI National Academy, or a comparable program.
- Possession of a valid Michigan driver’s license.
Experience and Skills
- Skill in anticipating and experience in planning for future law enforcement needs by analyzing data trends and demographic changes within the community.
- Experience with budgets, project planning, policy creation, and modern policing standards.
- Skill in confidently and effectively leading a public-facing department and in representing the department through media engagement, public speaking, and community outreach.
- Skill and experience in decision-making.
- Skill in responding effectively in critical situations and emergencies.
- Skill and experience in building trust and collaboration between departments and with city leaders, including the City Manager and City Council.
- Experience supervising, mentoring, and developing others.
- Established experience in guiding principles of respect, competency, and integrity.
