Executive Director of Public Safety and Chief of Police (Finance)

Compensation: Commensurate to candidate experience

Position Profile: Executive Director of Public Safety and Chief of Police

About the University of Houston- Downtown

The University of Houston-Downtown (UHD) is a comprehensive four-year university that offers bachelor's and master's degree programs aimed at career preparation. The university is in the heart of downtown Houston, one of the nation's most culturally diverse metropolitan areas. UHD is designated as a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) and Minority Serving Institution (MSI). UHD is one of the four distinct and separate institutions within the University of Houston System. UHD's diverse community consists of more than 13,500 students, with 45% enrolled full-time and 55% enrolled part-time.

About the Police Department

The mission of the University of Houston-Downtown Police Department is to provide a safe environment where students, faculty, and staff feel safe to learn, safe to teach, and safe to perform their duties as members of the university community. The police department provides comprehensive safety services 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to provide a safe environment for the UHD community. The UHD police department consists of 22 FT Sworn Officers, 10 security officers and 9 non-sworn professional staff. UHD police department maintains accreditation from the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators (IACLEA).

Position:

Reporting to the Vice President for Administration & Finance, the Executive Director of Public Safety and Chief of Police serves as the campus' chief law enforcement officer. In addition to overseeing all operational aspects of the police department, they oversee emergency management operations and parking and transportation services.

Job Summary

The Executive Director of Public Safety and Chief of Police provides strategic leadership and administrative oversight for the university's Public Safety unit, which includes the Police Department, Parking and Transportation Services, and the Office of Emergency Management. This role is responsible for ensuring a safe, secure, and welcoming environment for students, faculty, staff, and visitors through the effective management of law enforcement operations. The Executive Director of Public Safety and Chief of Police serves as the primary liaison with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies and is accountable for fostering a positive, service-oriented, and community-focused police culture.

Duties

• Develops and implements goals, objectives, strategies, policies, and procedures for the Public Safety unit, comprised of the Police Department, Parking and Transportation, and the Office of Emergency Management
• Allocates fiscal, equipment, and human resources efficiently to ensure effective support of safety and security initiatives across campus
• Commands and controls law enforcement operations for major investigations, emergency management situations, and large university special events
• Supports and mentors' supervisory staff across all unit areas; prepares and delivers program and activity reports to senior management; drafts staff reports and related correspondence; recommends the development and implementation of new programs
• Manages and oversees unit personnel and resources, ensuring subordinate supervisors are held accountable for the effective and efficient performance of their teams
• Utilizes advanced and innovative practices in campus law enforcement, parking and transportation, and emergency management to meet unit objectives and drive continuous performance improvement
• Actively participates in professional group meetings and stays informed on emerging trends and advancements in law enforcement, crime prevention, campus security, emergency preparedness, and related support services; integrates relevant developments into practices as appropriate
• Develops and reviews department policy, ensuring compliance with state and national accreditation standards and best practices
• Foster positive relationships with students, faculty, staff, and the surrounding community, and collaborate with other university departments to address campus safety issues
• Drafts, edits, or coordinates the preparation of correspondence, reports, and other materials, ensuring content accuracy, proper presentation, and relevance by researching precedents and verifying applicability
• Acts as the Campus Security Survey Administrator in accordance with federal law, overseeing the creation and completion of the federally required campus security survey

Marginal Duties

• Prepare and submit Federal and State reports as required
• Assists in criminal investigations when required
• Performs all other duties as assigned

Supervisory Responsibilities

Direct Reports:

• Full-time Employees

Delegation of Work:

• Regularly assigns work to subordinate(s)

Supervision Given:

• Makes final decision on evaluating employee performance; hiring new employees; disciplinary actions; scheduling employee work hours; coaching and counseling; training; provides recommendations on handling employee grievances and complaints; and makes final decision on granting time off

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Knowledge:

• Operation, services, and activities of law enforcement
• Principles, practices, and methods of law enforcement, traffic control, and patrol services
• Methods and techniques of report preparation
• Principles and practices of program development and administration
• Principles and practices of organization, administration, and personnel management pertaining to law enforcement
• Property and evidence handling procedures
• Principles of record keeping and reporting
• Modern office procedures, methods, and computer equipment
• English usage, spelling, grammar, and punctuation
• Pertinent Federal, State, and local laws, codes, and regulations, including but not limited to: Civility Liability, Excessive Force, Discipline Laws of arrest, search, and seizure
• Development and administration of program goals, objectives, and procedures
• Knowledge of trends, issues, and accepted practices relevant to the position

Skills:

• Candidates must have strong analytical and problem-solving skills, as well as excellent interpersonal and written, and verbal communication skills

Abilities:

• Participate in law enforcement programs, including patrol, field operations, crime investigations, and support services
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work, especially other members of the department
• Command respect and maintain discipline
• Analyze problems, identify alternative solutions, project consequences of proposed actions, and implement recommendations in support of goals
• Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing
• Maintain effective audio-visual perception needed for: Making observations, Vision corrected to 20/40, both eyes -Color vision - ability to distinguish all colors, both eyes, Reading and writing, Communicating with others, Acute hearing required, both ears
• Maintain mental capacity which permits: Making sound decisions and using good judgment, Demonstrating intellectual capabilities, Evaluating the effectiveness of programs, Recommending effective policies and procedures, Communicating clearly
• Maintain physical condition appropriate to the performance of assigned duties and responsibilities which may include the following: Standing, sitting or running/walking for extended periods of time in a wide range of areas from stairways in buildings to outdoor undeveloped areas Standing 15% of time; Sitting 60% of time; Running/Walking 25% of time; Lifting in excess of 50 pounds; Carrying, dragging or restraining individuals from 50 to 300 pounds
• Performing peace officer responsibilities such as effecting arrests, subduing resisting individuals, and operating assigned equipment
• Preparing and presenting materials in a formal setting
• Effectively handle a work environment and conditions which involve: Working closely with others
• Must be available to work evenings, nights, weekends, and holidays according to assigned schedules; Hazardous situations
• Ability to effectively communicate with a wide range of individuals and constituencies in a diverse community
• Lead and inspire People

Work Location and Physical Demands

Primary Work Location:

• Primarily an inside office environment, except when assigned as police shift supervisor; some travel involved to meetings, school, and other sites; when assigned to perform all duties of a peace officer
• Exposure to emergency public safety environment; exposure to emergency and disaster situations; exposure to potentially hostile environments; exposure to dangerous and/or hostile people; animal and human body fluids
• Hazards of emergency driving; hazards associated with traffic control and working in and near traffic; working in and near natural and man-made disasters, exposure to inclement weather conditions
• May be required to work in and around heavy vehicles and equipment; possible exposure to noise, dust, grease, smoke, fumes, and gases when assisting in emergency calls; possible exposure to hazardous chemicals, high voltage, and toxic materials; exposure to waste and infectious diseases
• Frequent contact with the public

Physical Demands:

• Essential and marginal functions may require maintaining physical condition necessary for sitting, standing, or walking for prolonged periods of time; adequate speech, hearing, visual acuity, and ability to distinguish color; may be required to carry, push, pull, drag, or hold medium to heavy weight objects
• When performing duties as a peace officer, essential and other important duties require maintaining physical condition necessary for medium to heavy lifting, bending, stooping, kneeling, crawling, jumping, and climbing, the use of fingers, both hands, and both arms, and the use of both legs
• May be required to take offensive and/or defensive action during physical confrontations
• Ability to discharge a firearm
• Ability to operate motorized equipment and/or assigned vehicles

Qualifications

Required Education:

• Bachelor's degree in criminal justice or a related field, granted by an accredited institution, is required

Required Experience:

• Completed a minimum of ten (10) consecutive years of increasingly responsible broad-based service as a licensed peace officer immediately prior to the start of the application/selection process, with five (5) years of major command responsibility as a Police Lieutenant or above
• Demonstrated success leading complex, multi-functional organizations
• Demonstrated commitment to engage directly with the campus and local communities

License/Certification:

• Possession of a valid Driver's License
• Possession of an appropriate certification as a peace officer in the State of Texas or an equivalent licensing entity in another state
• Possession of at least an Advanced Peace Officer Proficiency Certificate issued by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement or an equivalent proficiency certificate issued by an equivalent licensing entity in another state
• A Chief of Police must meet all the requirements for an entry-level Police Officer and possess an active license as a Police Officer issued by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE)

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree
• Prior experience as a law enforcement supervisor in higher education or medium to large municipalities
• Completion of an advanced police management and leadership training, such as the FBI National Academy, PERF's Senior Management Institute for Police, or a state law enforcement command college, such as the Law Enforcement Management Institute of Texas

Review of materials will begin immediately and continue until the appointment is made, however, preference will be given to applications received by July 7, 2025

All positions at the University of Houston-System are security sensitive and will require a criminal history check.

The University of Houston System and its universities are an Equal Opportunity Institution.