KRW Associates Leads Police Chief Search for Breckenridge
November 10, 2017 – The public sector is in the midst of major transformation, facing an array of challenges that range from changing public expectations to budgetary pressures and a growing demand for operational efficiency. To successfully navigate these issues, government organizations need leaders who are focused, tenacious and adaptable, with the capacity to deal with significant scale, complexity and ambiguity, say recruiters who specialize in the field.
One executive search firm focused on this is Colorado Springs-based KRW Associates, which has been tapped by the town of Breckenridge, CO to lead in its search for a new police chief. Managing partner Lorne Kramer, who has 46 years of government service, is leading the assignment.
The town is looking for a uniquely qualified leader to provide key leadership, strategic direction and supervision to police department staff, said the search firm. The individual in this role serves and oversees department efforts and outcomes. The chief of police is charged with managing and overseeing complex projects and policy matters as well as expediting the resolution of certain high-profile issues.
The person will also serve a key role in providing strategic leadership for police administration and records, patrol, investigations and community service. The individual must be able to develop a values-based culture of leadership and teamwork, resulting in motivated and service-oriented teams delivering a high level of public service.
Skills Desired
Successful candidates must possess senior-level management work history and experience in law enforcement, and have a strong focus on community policing said KRW Associates. They should have 15 years of progressively responsible law enforcement experience with at least five years of supervisory/management experience. In addition, they will be a recognized peace officer who has served in various supervisory ranks which may include sergeant, lieutenant, captain/commander/assistant chief, and deputy chief (or equivalents) in a law enforcement-related field.
Located in the heart of the Colorado Rockies, Breckenridge was established in 1859 and has become one of the nation’s top mountain resorts. The town is home to one of the busiest ski areas in North America.
The principals of KRW have decades of public sector experience as practitioners as well as years of executive search and organizational consulting experience which extends throughout the U.S. The firm has found police chiefs for a number of towns in Colorado, including Fairplay, Durango, Granby, Castle Rock, Englewood and Manitou Springs, among others.
Turning to Search Firms
A range of cities and universities have turned to executive search firms in recent months to help find new chiefs for their respective police and fire departments. Here’s a few taken from the Hunt Scanlon Media archives:
Bob Murray & Associates was recently selected to find the next leader for the San Diego Police Department
The firm is currently developing selection criteria, interview materials and candidate qualifications. Senior vice president Regan Williams is leading the assignment.
The University of Chicago named police chief Kenton W. Rainey as chief of police after search by Spelman Johnson
The role called for a range of skill-sets, including planning, organizing, directing and administering the policing initiatives of the campus community and extended patrol area.
For the first time in its 131-year history, Vancouver Fire & Rescue Services went outside its own ranks to find its leader
PFM Executive Search recruited Darrell Reid as the new fire chief and general manager for the City of Vancouver. Mr. Reid is the CEO of the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario.
Russell Reynolds Associates has recruited Art Acevedo as the next chief of police for the city of Houston
He becomes the first Latino to take on the Houston police’s top post. Stephen Newton, area manager for the Dallas and Houston offices of Russell Reynolds, led the search.
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor; and Will Schatz, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
