City of Ouray, CO-Chief of Police
Salary Range: $115,000—$150,000 -Depending on Qualifications

KRW Associates LLC is assisting with this search. Application materials are to be submitted to: apply@KRW-Associates.com Deadline: Friday, October 18, 2024, (5:00 PM MST)
To view full posting go to www.KRW-Associates/open-positions.

The City-The City of Ouray, Colorado is located in southwest Colorado 40 miles south of Montrose and 70 miles north of Durango. Sitting high in the San Juan Mountains (elevation 7,792), Ouray is commonly referred to as the “Switzerland of America”. The year-round population of Ouray is over 1,000 but has many second homeowners. As the county seat, the City enjoys an excellent working relationship with both Ouray County and the nearby town of Ridgway.
The City has a rich history, starting with Native Americans, and then early Spanish explorers, who frequented the hot springs. Ouray was famous for its vast gold and silver reserves when mining became a major economic driver. The City was incorporated on October 2, 1876. Since that time, it has earned a reputation as a great destination for families and outdoor adventures. With tourism as the predominant economic driver, a vast array of recreational activities is available year-round. Locals and visitors enjoy hiking, rock climbing, ice climbing, off-roading, backcountry skiing, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, ATV rentals, soaking in the many hot springs, and more. While popular in the winter, Ouray is primarily known as a summertime destination. The Fourth of July holiday is especially busy, when over 15,000 people typically visit or pass through Ouray. The Ouray School District No. R-1 is highly rated and offers exceptional educational services. In the 2023 school year, 187 students were enrolled in PK, K-12; the teacher student ratio was 8:1. To learn more, go to: Welcome to City of Ouray, CO and Visit Ouray.

The Police Department- The Chief of Police reports to the City Administrator, and oversees the work of two (2) Sergeants, three (3) full-time officers, and two (2) part-time officers. In 2023 officers responded to 2,507 dispatched calls for service.

The Position-Appointed by the City Administrator, the Chief of Police serves as a key member of the city’s leadership team and is responsible for the overall direction and leadership of the Police Department including officer recruitment and retention, operations/tactical response, training, investigations, community/public relations, and records/evidence management.

The Chief must be well-versed in current federal, state, and local laws and ordinances, and remain current with understanding and applying best practices in law enforcement. He/she must be versed in the use of law enforcement technology.

The Chief is responsible for the department budget preparation, and the presentation, monitoring and compliance to ensure fiscal responsibility. He/she is also responsible for researching and seeking funding alternatives and writing grant applications.

The Chief is the face of the police department. He/she builds trust within the community, is accessible and transparent with officers and the public, and maintains effective working relationships with staff, elected/appointed officials and other department leaders.

The Chief is expected to forge professional partnerships with key stakeholders, including the Sheriff’s Office, Colorado State Patrol, other emergency service providers and neighboring agencies. The Chief attends various state and local meetings and law enforcement conferences to maintain an effective networking system, represent local interests, coordinate joint public safety efforts and to keep abreast of current trends in law enforcement.

This is both an administrative leadership role, and an operational “working chief” position. The Chief must be willing to cover shifts as needed to include day shift and night shift for emergency leave, vacations and pre-determined sick leave. The Chief must be willing to fulfill a patrol officer’s duties, (e.g. responding to calls and completing incident reports), and he/she must be willing to serve as the duty car between the hours of 0700 to 1000 during the summer season. Due to the large influx of visitors to Ouray for the 4th of July, the Chief is expected to be present during this holiday. Finally, the Chief participates in major criminal investigations, traffic planning and enforcement, and may assume command in large-scale incidents, high-risk operations, disasters and other emergency situations.

The Ideal Candidate
• Community minded,
• Politically Neutral
• Community Policing Advocate
• Strategic Thinker– one who can develop and implement effective plans to address crime, community concerns, and internal challenges.
• Visionary– one who offers a clear understanding of the Department’s goals.
• Effective communicator-one who has the ability to articulate the department goals and direction to the officers and the community.
• Inspirational leader– one who can motivate and inspire officers to perform at their best.

Opportunities & Challenges-The City of Ouray conducted a Police Department Audit in 2024 to better understand the needs of the Police Department. The City Council, along with the Police Department staff, have gone through the plan to prioritize the suggestions. The City Council looks forward to the new Chief implementing the many audit suggestions.

Ouray is a small low-crime community and the City strives for the new Chief to be a great community partner.

Recruiting is a challenge for the City, but we have been able to retain the current officers.

Qualifications
A minimum qualification is a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in police science, criminal justice, criminology or other related field.
Ten (10) years of progressively responsible law enforcement experience; four (4) years of which must have been in a supervisory capacity. An equivalent combination of education and experience will be considered.

A master's degree and/or attendance at the FBI National Academy, PERF-Senior Management Institute for Police, the Northwestern School of Police Staff & Command, or a similar program is a plus.

Special qualifications for the successful candidate
Successful completion of a pre-employment physical, psychological and polygraph evaluation and drug test is required. The Chief must possess a valid Colorado driver’s license. He/she must obtain and maintain a Colorado P.O.S.T. certification and must obtain and maintain various certifications related to Incident Command System (ICS) and National Incident Management System (NIMS) disaster preparedness. It is preferred that the Chief of Police reside within a 10-minute drive of the Ouray City Hall. A take-home vehicle is issued.

Compensation & Benefits
Salary Range: $115,000—$150,000

Summary of Benefits- Health Insurance (CEBT); Dental Insurance (Delta Dental); Vision Insurance (VSP); Life Insurance (CEBT); Long-term Disability Plan (Unum); Voluntary Supplemental Plans (Aflac); Retirement- 401(a) Plan (CO Ret. Assoc. with 3% pre-tax employee contribution, matched by City and 5-year vesting); Voluntary 457 Deferred Compensation Plan; Flexible Spending Account; Generous and Flexible Vacation Benefits; Sick Leave Accrual (8 hours for each month of regular employment); Holiday Leave - 14 days per year (including 2 personal holidays); Additional benefits include a swimming pool pass, fitness center pass and discounted rates for family members at the Hot Springs & Fitness Center.
The Chief is issued a take-home vehicle. It is preferred that the Chief reside within a 10-minute drive of the Ouray City Hall.
A monthly housing stipend or down payment assistance – to be determined during the contract negotiations.

Apply Online- Open Positions | KRW Associates (krw-associates.com). Click on the Position Information then Apply Here at the bottom of the posting.

Or Apply By Email- Email your cover letter, resume and six professional references to: apply@krw-associates.com

Deadline: Friday, October 18, 2024 (5:00 PM MST)

Questions? - KRW Associates LLC is assisting the City of Ouray with this search. Questions should be directed to: info@krw-associates.com or KRW Managing Partner, Lorne Kramer | 719-310-8960, KRW Senior Associates, Mark Collins | 307-460-1941, or Gina McGrail | 303-249-9572.

The City of Ouray is an equal opportunity employer.