The Town. East Haven, a town of approximately 30,000 population in 12 square miles, is a suburban residential community adjoining New Haven, a Town of almost 130,000 and a part of a metropolitan area of over 570,000. It is 60 miles from New York Town on Long Island Sound. The population is largely working class individuals who settled in East Haven to be away from the urban bustle of New Haven and other urban communities. Quality of life issues are important to residents of the town, and they expect good quality public services.
The town is near a number of educational institutions, including Yale University and the University of New Haven, which has a strong criminal justice program.
When thinking about policing, residents most commonly mention the importance of honesty, and integrity and communication, as the most important characteristics they feel are most important. There is strong support for the police department in any segments of the community.
The chief executive of the town is the Mayor, elected for a term of two years. He is the appointing authority for department heads. There is a Police Commission that oversees personnel and policy matters relating to the Police Department and is the appointing authority for all police employees except for the Chief of Police, who is appointed by the Mayor.
The police department has come under intense scrutiny during the last year due to allegations of improper police actions toward some persons. This has had a demoralizing effect on many officers and the department is challenged to recover from these incidents and move toward excellence in policing. The new Chief of Police will lead that reformation process, which has begun under an Interim Chief.
Crime in East Haven is fairly low and reflects the residential nature of the community.
The Position. The Chief of Police heads a department with an authorized strength of 53 sworn officers and 4.5 non-sworn. The operating budget for the Police Department for fiscal year 2011-12 is over $6 million.
The successful candidate will possess strong management and communications skills and be able to develop and sustain relationships of trust with all segments of the East Haven community. He or she will have a strong labor relations background, and be able to demonstrate experience in interfacing with a diverse population in a manner that builds trust in policing matters. Key characteristics of the successful candidate are the following:
- A strong leader who will hold employees and units within the Department accountable for their actions and performance; leading by example.
- Understand and engage with the numerous communities and neighborhoods within East Haven; if an outsider, to get to know the Town well and quickly, establishing relationships of trust with all groups who reside in the town
- Be able to educate the East Haven community about good police policy and procedure and their role in sharing responsibility for achieving that state, as well as the importance of preventing crime as a key objective.
- Ensure that policing is carried out in an impartial manner, without bias by any member of the department, with full transparency about policing strategies and tactics, all aimed at building trust in policing and legitimacy of police as perceived and experienced by for all groups.
- Ensure that every member of the department treats every person with whom they come in contact with is treated in a respectful manner, regardless of the circumstances.
- Keep the Police Commission fully informed as to police activities, department challenges and projected solutions to problems.
- Communicate honestly and clearly with the Town leadership and the community, as well as internally within the Department, regarding expectations, achievements and policing challenges.
- Effectively manage the budget; to innovate and provide better service within a constrained budget environment.
- Implement a plan of action that will address all the issues raised by the investigation and complaints brought by the United States Department of Justice in a manner that is sustainable over the longer term; with regular reporting on progress toward each element of that plan
- Beyond the issues raised by the U. S. Department of Justice, needs to develop a strategic vision for the department going forward over the next 3-5 years, including upgrades in technology, data generation, analysis, and use
- Needs to demonstrate impartiality, fairness and good judgment, especially in dealing with personnel and disciplinary issues.
- Restore a sense of trust within the department, to reengage with middle managers and first line supervisors
- Reach decisions and implement change carefully, and at a measured pace, after appropriate consultations.
- Work with other Town department heads, departments, and external agencies to develop and implement interdisciplinary responses to community problems.
- Manage with a high level of interpersonal skill, emotional intelligence while promoting a team approach
Compensation and Benefits
The salary range for this position is negotiable, based on the candidate's experience and qualifications. Excellent fringe benefits are provided, including health, dental and life insurance The Town also provides an excellent benefits package.
To Apply
Qualified candidates should submit a resume and cover letter setting forth their qualifications and contact information to easthaven@policy-partners.com no later than 5 pm Eastern Daylight Time, September 19, 2012.
The Town of East Haven is being assisted in this search by the Strategic Policy Partnership, Box 577, West Tisbury, Massachusetts 02575. 508-693-8571.
The Town of East Haven is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer and values diversity at all levels of the workforce.
-----PERF is not assisting with this search. Please direct all questions to Robert Wasserman, Chairman of Strategic Policy Partnership, at 508-693-8571 or wasserman@policy-partners.com
