EASTHAMPTON — The city has officially initiated its search for a new chief of police and will be accepting interested applicants until Friday, Jan. 17 at 10 a.m.
Those interested can view the job description on the city’s website and should submit a cover letter and resume to Human Resources at personnel@easthamptonma.gov. Please contact the Easthampton Human Resources Department for additional information on the process.
The search opens following a comprehensive request for proposals process, which led to the selection of Public Safety Consultants, a respected firm specializing in law enforcement leadership recruitment. Public Safety Consultants will spearhead the search and assist in forming the selection committee to identify the ideal candidate for this critical leadership role.
“The successful candidate will be a proven leader committed to fostering community trust, promoting public safety and advancing effective policing practices. The new chief will not only oversee the Easthampton Police Department but also work to build strong, positive relationships between the department and the community it serves,” said the city in a statement.
The chief of police will be responsible for the overall administration and leadership of the Easthampton Police Department. This individual will play a key role in ensuring the department continues providing high-quality public safety services while focusing on the community engagement and transparency. The chief will also be asked to work closely with city officials, local agencies and residents to implement strategic goals that reflect the city’s commitment to safety, inclusivity and collaboration, according to the city’s statements on the search.
Human Resources Director Emily Russo told Reminder Publishing the city’s efforts to bring in a search consultant came from wanting the most transparency possible for the public.
“We felt the best way to do that was to bring in an external console so that we don’t have our own biases getting in the way of the process,” Russo said. “With something like this it’s such a sensitive position and we all have our own desires and our own goals as what we would like to see in a police chief, so I think this presented the best, most unbiased way of getting the best person into the position.”
Public Safety Consultants, the firm selected to guide the recruitment and selection of a new chief, most recently worked with the city of Holyoke in identifying their new police chief. The firm brings extensive experience in law enforcement leadership and will assist in forming a diverse committee that will review applications and help ensure the most qualified candidate is selected.
This collaborative process will involve input from community stakeholders, city officials and law enforcement exert to ensure that the new chief reflects the values and priorities of the Easthampton community. Russo added input from the residents of Easthampton will also be sought after and there will eventually be opportunities for the public to best express what they are looking for in their next police chief.
“One thing that the mayor [Nicole LaChapelle] and myself really wanted is public input and we felt like the best way to do that, in conjunction with the feedback we’ve gotten from Public Safety Consults, is to do a survey so there will be an announcement on that,” Russo said, adding the survey should be publicly available sometime after Jan. 2. “We really wanted to get people’s feedback while we have the applications coming in so that before we start the process of fielding them, we have this data and this information from the residents of the city on what they value so we can put that into the entire process going forward.”
According to the city’s release, the ideal candidate will possess a strong law enforcement leadership background, focusing on community policing, public safety and transparency. It adds candidates should have a proven track record of integrity, professionalism and the ability to engage with the community meaningfully.
“The city is seeking a visionary leader who can build on the department’s strengths while embracing innovative approaches to law enforcement,” the city added in its release.
The search process will include a thorough review of applications, and the committee will work to ensure a diverse pool of candidates. Russo added realistically the city hopes to have hired its new chief by March, allowing for a new chief to be involved in the budgeting process for their first fiscal year in the role.
“We want people to know we really do value their feedback,” Russo said. “We really do take that stuff to heart because we want the community to be proud of the departments here and proud of the people in the departments. Give us that feedback and we will take it into consideration. I think we all want someone who is going to not only be a good internal leader but a good external leader as well and put the best interest of the city and the department on the forefront.”
