Description
Our department is committed to providing professional, responsive, and community-focused law enforcement services to the residents and visitors of Montpelier. We are a full-service agency providing 24-hour patrol coverage, investigative services, emergency communications, and proactive crime prevention strategies. When fully staffed, our team consists of 17 full-time sworn members, eight full-time emergency dispatchers, a public safety support administrator, and three part-time community service officers who work together every day to protect and serve our community. The Deputy Chief position is currently vacant and will be filled after our next Chief is appointed.
The department has a $4.37 million operating budget, and in 2025 responded to 10,112 calls for service, an increase of about 10% over the previous year. Addressing the needs of the unhoused has created an additional set of challenges for the department and the city to navigate.
We are committed to maintaining strong partnerships with the community we serve. Transparency, professionalism, and respect are the foundations of our work, and we believe that effective policing depends on trust and collaboration with our residents, businesses, and visitors. Our vision is to provide exemplary police services to residents, workers, and visitors, ensuring a safe and healthy environment for all. The department partners closely with the commissioned Police Review Committee to incorporate ideas and best practices that promote public trust, preserve peace, prevent crime, and enforce the law while safeguarding individual rights. Montpelier Police Department is committed to serving all members of the community with dignity and respect.
The next Chief of Police should be prepared to serve as a visionary leader to a service-focused organizational culture. The ideal candidate is an approachable, servant-minded leader with exceptional interpersonal skills, and a demonstrated commitment to community policing, employee development, transparency, and ethical leadership. The ideal candidate will have experience supervising a communications/dispatch center, as well as creating operations plans for major public events. Experience leading organizational growth, managing complex budgets, building regional partnerships, and mentoring future leaders will be highly valued. Emergency management experience is also desired.
The next Chief of Police should bring a strong record of community policing with expertise in deescalation training; successful implementation of strategies that address the intersection of social services and public safety; innovative ideas for improving systems of accountability; and demonstration of experience in regional collaboration.
The ideal candidate recognizes the importance of strong partnerships, visibility in the community, and cares deeply about public service, understanding the strength of a community is the people that are part of it.
How to Apply - Application Deadline Sept. 30, 2026
Please submit a cover letter and resume via email. For clarity in document handling, please format your files as follows:
LastName FirstName Cover Letter
LastName FirstName Resume
All application materials will be held in confidence and should be sent to:
Tanya Chambers
Human Resources Director
TChambers@montpelier-vt.org
Subject line: Chief of Police – City of Montpelier
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, public administration, or a related field; minimum of
10 years of progressively responsible law enforcement experience with at least five
years at a supervisory/management level. An equivalent combination of education,
training, and experience may be considered.
- Must be a full-time certified Vermont law enforcement officer, or able to meet all Vermont
Criminal Justice Council requirements to obtain Level III certification within one year of
appointment.
