Director

00004240

Chief of Police and Public Safety - Department of Public Safety (4240)

SPS

1.00

Public Safety

The Chief of Police and Public Safety (COPPS) serves as the senior law enforcement official responsible for the protection, safety, and security of persons, property, equipment, and facilities in and around Northern Illinois University (NIU) controlled properties. The COPPS is responsible for maintaining the public peace and order and enforces all applicable Federal, State and local laws, rules, regulations and University policies. The COPPS is also the principle administrator for planning, directing, and managing the comprehensive law enforcement, public safety and security, and emergency preparedness services for all components of NIU. The COPPS serves as the ambassador for all safety and security related services and works closely with key university, local, state, and federal partners. The COPPS is responsible for supervisory oversight of the Department of Police and Public Safety (NIUPD).

Reporting to the president’s chief of staff, the COPPS works collaboratively with the executive vice president/provost, vice presidents, deans, senior directors, faculty, staff and students on public safety, emergency preparedness, and security technology enhancements with the goal of leading a best-in-class university police and public safety organization. The COPPS is required to function autonomously and serves as a key advisor to the president, chief of staff and other senior administrators on campus safety during emergencies, times of crisis or disaster.

The COPPS is an autonomous senior executive who works under the limited direction of the president’s chief of staff. The chief of staff evaluates the COPPS performance based upon the outcomes the COPPS produces. The COPPS is expected to follow the agency’s general orders while accomplishing everyday duties and responsibilities. The COPPS must have the intellectual ability to be flexible, adaptable and creative enough to apply appropriate remedies to unusual, volatile and often stressful situations while directing the activities of other command personnel. While command influence is occasionally utilized, in many instances priorities and deadlines will be dictated by the circumstance. The positions duties and responsibilities are varied and demand a variety of responses. The COPPS engages in significant self-initiated executive activities and assumes command of emergency circumstances. The COPPS is responsible for the answering of calls for emergency service as may be required to protect the lives, safety or property of university faculty, staff, students or visitors.

The COPPS works under parameters established by department and university policies, procedures, rules and regulations. The need for autonomy makes reliance upon these edicts a necessary and indispensable part of the profession. The need for autonomy is complemented by a willingness to collaborate where appropriate.

Virtually every activity the COPPS engages in is interconnected. Nearly all police executive activities involve important direct or indirect personal contacts and have the potential for impacting large numbers of people. The responsibility for commanding emergency personnel in circumstances of crisis further complicates issues as every situation is different. The job demands the practitioner be flexible and adaptable.

The COPPS has a direct impact on significant numbers of people daily. The COPPS encounters a diversity of people ranging from a variety of ethnic, socioeconomic, and educational backgrounds. Contact may be initiated through normal community interactions, public presentations, scheduled meetings, and response to an emergency or a non-emergency call for service.

The COPPS comes into contact with a variety of people each day and is expected to interact with students, faculty, staff and visitors throughout the course of their daily activities. Incumbents in this position must have the ability to effectively communicate, orally and in writing, with people from all walks of life.

The purposes for contact varies, including but not limited to supervisor interactions, administrative meetings, public appearances, police response to community initiated calls for service for emergency and non-emergency situations.

The COPPS may be required to work in a variety of conditions, including sub-zero conditions or temperatures above 90 degrees. The COPPS may also be required to wear protective clothing that exacerbates body temperatures in extreme heat and, on limited occasion, be confined to spaces that afford limited mobility for extended periods of time. The COPPS may be required to enter tight places, areas that have low light conditions and/or areas filled with smoke or other toxins. Persons in this classification may occasionally be required to work at night, during a weekend or on a holiday.

The COPPS job can be unpredictable, physically and cognitively demanding, and may require the incumbent to engage in extremely stressful and strenuous activities on a moment’s notice. While many of the activities listed may not occur on a daily basis, the COPPS must be prepared to undertake them at any given time. The position can be extremely demanding requiring more than average physical and mental conditioning. The COPPS must have good vision and hearing and not suffer a deficit that is not correctable that may compromise their safety or that of another. The COPPS must not suffer any physical or mental condition that could impair their ability to perform the required duties and responsibilities of the position or that would compromise his or her safety or endanger another.

· Bachelor’s degree required· At least ten years of progressively responsible experience in a law enforcement agency, including at least three years of direct management experience as a Lieutenant or above· Must be a certified police officer in Illinois or have the ability to become certified

· Master’s degree strongly preferred· Experience in a university environment preferred· Advance courses such as the FBI National Academy, Southern Police Institute, Northwestern School of Police Staff and Command, PERF’s Senior Management Institute for Police are preferred.

The COPPS must possess the cognitive capacity to ensure the implementation of administrative, business and social processes in a higher education environment, including the ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with other university officials, city officials, county, state and federal authorities, other employees, students, civic leaders and the general public. The COPPS must be knowledgeable in the application of the principles and best practices of modern police organizations, operations, and administration, modern supervisory practices and procedures, including the ability to maintain a high level of discipline and morale. As the chief law enforcement officer for the university, the COPPS must possess an in-depth understanding of the State of Illinois Criminal Code, Illinois Vehicle Code, applicable municipal ordinances, and the policies, procedures, rules and regulations of the university, including the cognitive capacity to read, understand, interpret and apply appropriate legal texts that provide the information necessary to develop the knowledge and skills to subordinates. In addition, the COPSS must be able to effectively ensure the enactment of standards by which the application and quality of police services is provided and evaluated for the solution of problems, including crime, threats to public safety, and community well-being.

varied

12,916.67 monthly

Actual hiring rate is commensurate with experience, education, and internal equity; position includes a robust benefits package to eligible applicants.

09/29/2021

10/15/2021

The search firm Public Sector Search & Consulting Inc, will be coordinating this search.

Interested candidates should apply by submitting a compelling cover letter and comprehensive resume to apply@publisectorsearch.com by October 15, 2021. Confidential inquiries and nominations are welcomed and should directed to: Mr. Gary Peterson, Public Sector Search & Consulting, Inc., Telephone: (916) 789-9990 or 622-5323 (mobile), Email: gary@publicsectorsearch.com. Position profile can be viewed here.

Applications received after this date are welcome, but will be considered as needed.

Required application materials:

• Resume/CV
• Cover Letter
• List of 3 professional references

NIU Public Safety

The COPPS must be able to perform both at exceptional physical and cognitive levels. The COPPS must be able to think clearly in a crisis and must have a sufficient intellectual capacity to remain in control while managing stressful circumstances and the people under their respective command. Persons working in this capacity must be able to assess a situation and make appropriate decisions regarding the use of available resources and appropriate responses while directing the activities of others. The COPPS may have to stand, sit, bend over, or kneel for extended periods of time. The COPPS may be required to use strenuous physical exertion with no prior notification. In emergency circumstances the COPPS may be required to run up several flights of stairs and then engage in continuous and strenuous physical activity for an extended period of time. The COPPS may in some instances be required to chase on foot one or more fleeing criminal suspects for several hundred meters and engage in unassisted physical confrontations then physically restrain one or more individuals for two (2) to three (3) minutes or more. Offenders can range in weight from ninety (90) pounds to in excess of two hundred fifty (250) pounds or more. These encounters can be life threatening and require the incumbent to protect themselves or others until assistance can arrive.

In accordance with applicable statutes and regulations, NIU is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, religion, age, physical and mental disability, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, political affiliation, or any other factor unrelated to professional qualifications, and will comply with all applicable federal and state statutes, regulations and orders pertaining to nondiscrimination, equal opportunity and affirmative action.

The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies:


Ethics and Compliance Officer, Title IX Coordinator
Health Services 230
TitleIXCoordinator@niu.edu
815-753-5560

Yes

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification document form upon hire.

NIU remains committed to ensuring that its recruitment and application procedures include full opportunities for applicants with disabilities. Employment opportunities will not be denied to anyone because of the need to make accommodations for a person’s disability during either the application or interview process. An applicant who believes they require an accommodation to participate in the employment process due to a disability may request that accommodation through the Accommodation Request Form. For further assistance, please contact the office of Affirmative Action, Equal Opportunity and Education (AAEOE) at ada@niu.edu.

NIU provides information regarding campus security, personal and fire safety, including topics such as: crime prevention, emergency response procedures and crime reporting policies, in addition to crime and fire statistics for the most recent three calendar years. The Annual Security Report containing security and safety information is available at www.safety.niu.edu/clery or by contacting the University Police Department and Public Safety Department at 815-753-9628 to receive a hard copy. The Annual Fire Safety Report is available at www.niu.edu/clery/fire_report.pdf or by contacting the Environmental Health and Safety Department at 815-753-0404 to receive a hard copy.

https://employment.niu.edu/postings/59552