Merced is a dynamic community of about 90,971 people, with a friendly small town feel in a mid-size city. Merced’s valley location provides easy access to the central California coast, Sierra Nevada mountains, national parks, and major cities. The City has historically been the “Gateway to Yosemite,” and residents enjoy short drives to skiing, beaches, fishing, and other outdoor attractions. The Police Department has a mission to provide professional services through honest, ethical, fair, and consistent practices; develop quality employees through appropriate education and training; enhance the provision of life and property protection, utilizing advanced technology; and encourage and participate in open communication with the community. Under the direction of the City Manager, the Police Chief provides administrative direction to plan, manage, and oversee the functions and operations of the Merced Police Department including law enforcement, crime prevention, and administrative support services and activities.

The City of Merced is seeking a dynamic and inspiring Police Chief with a team-oriented mindset. The ideal candidate has a proven track record of leading with integrity and character, approaching each day with a can-do attitude, with a focus of continuous improvement. Successful candidates must possess the ability to communicate and write extremely well. The new Police Chief will be able to foster healthy internal discussions to arrive at the best outcomes as one cohesive team. Any combination of education and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be: A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in police science, public administration, or a related field and extensive experience in law enforcement at the level of Police Lieutenant (2nd level supervisor/manager) or above. A master’s degree from an accredited college or university is highly desirable, as is completion of the F.B.I. National Academy, POST Command College, the California Police Chiefs Executive Leadership Institute and/or PERF’s Senior Management Institute for Police. Eight (8) years of increasingly responsible law enforcement experience in all major phases of police work including three (3) years of management and administrative responsibility is required.

The annual salary range for the Police Chief is $144,309.15 to $175,409.10. Placement within this range is dependent on qualifications and experience.