Chief of Police - City of Durham, NC
Developmental Associates Durham, NC, USA
- Location: Durham, NC, USA
- Categories: Public Safety
- Job Type: Full Time
- Posted: May 08, 2026
Job Description:
Chief of Police - City of Durham, NC
Description
About the Organization:
The City of Durham operates under a Council/Manager form of government. The City Manager along with four Deputy and Assistant Managers lead approximately 2800 employees working across 25 departments. The City’s FY2025–26 budget totals $722 million, including a $326.5 million General Fund, with a property tax rate of 43.71 cents per $100 assessed budget prioritizes community safety, employee compensation, and core infrastructure, ensuring continued delivery of essential services, responsiveness to new demands, and responsible funding of voter-approved investments like the $200 million “Connect Durham” bond program. The City’s day-to-day management and plan for future growth is managed by its Strategic Plan, which sets the strategic priorities for the community.
A 2024 Resident Survey indicates that 83.3% of respondents rated the city as an excellent or good place to live, 29.7% higher than the national average. Residents have particularly high levels of satisfaction with their quality of life, as well as with the quality of services that they receive as city residents. Initiatives in the strategic plan have set a high bar to increase those percentages over time and to achieve Council goals of: Shared Economic Prosperity, Creating a Safer Community Together, Connected, Engaged and Diverse Communities, Innovative & High Performing Organization, and Sustainable Natural and Built Environment.
The City prides itself on community engagement and offers multiple ways for the community to become involved and stay informed from 27 Advisory Boards and Commissions, to state of the art communication tools such as an open data Web platform, and social media, to community surveys. Learn more about the City of Durham here.
About the Department and Position:
The Durham Police Department serves with a focus on reducing crime, improving service delivery, and enhancing public safety. Guided by its vision to be a progressive law enforcement agency, the department emphasizes effective policing, high-quality service, and building public confidence while maintaining high standards across its operations.
The department is authorized for 531 sworn positions and currently employs 405 sworn officers, supported by 133 of 145 authorized civilian (non-sworn) positions and 30 part-time staff, reflecting ongoing recruitment needs. Organized into Patrol Services, Investigative Services, Administrative Services, and the Office of the Chief, the department supports a wide range of specialized units, including criminal investigations, community services, and emergency response teams. Learn more about the department here.
Reporting to the City Manager, the Chief of Police oversees a budget of over $93 million and leads a senior staff that includes three deputy chiefs, a Professional Standards Officer, an Executive Officer, and an Executive Assistant.
Qualifications:
Requires a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, public administration, or other relevant field, and 10 years of progressive law enforcement experience across functional areas such as patrol, internal affairs, administration, investigations, etc. to include six to seven years professional management or related experience in police administration including three to four years of related administrative supervisory experience. Must possess current advanced NC LE certification or be eligible to acquire. A master’s degree and executive law enforcement training are preferred. Must have a valid NC driver’s license or the ability to obtain a valid NC driver’s license within 60 days of relocating to NC. See full job posting via the link below for information regarding transfers.
Salary and Benefits
The anticipated hiring range for this position is $230,000-240,000 depending on qualifications and experience. The City offers a comprehensive benefits package including a comprehensive wellness program.
To apply, please visit https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/developmentalassociates and click on the Chief of Police – City of Durham, NC title.
- All applications must be submitted online via the Developmental Associates application portal (link above) – NOT the city’s employment application portal or any other external website.
- Resumes and cover letters must be uploaded with the application.
- Applicants should apply by June 7, 2026.
- Successful semi-finalists will be invited to participate in interviews and skill evaluation on June 30 – July 1, 2026. Candidates are encouraged to reserve these dates for meetings should they be invited to participate.
- Interviews with the Executive Team will follow quickly at a subsequent time in person.
- Direct inquiries to [email protected]
The City of Durham is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The recruitment and selection process is being managed by Developmental Associates, LLC.