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Are you a law enforcement executive who . . .

-Provides visible, engaged, and accessible leadership both within the department and throughout the community?

-Can strengthen recruitment and retention efforts while improving morale, accountability, and employee wellness?

-Builds trust through clear communication, collaboration, and strong relationships with employees, elected officials, and community stakeholders?

If so, the City of Spartanburg, South Carolina, is seeking a strategic, community-oriented, and forward-thinking executive to serve as its next Chief of Police during a transformative period for the city and department. This is an opportunity to lead a respected department with a strong foundation, supportive local leadership, and positive community relationships while helping shape the future of public safety in one of South Carolina’s fastest-growing and most dynamic cities.

The ideal candidate is a confident advocate who successfully communicates and champions for their employees and department, effectively enforces accountability, and upholds professionalism. In their next Chief, City leaders desire a credible law enforcement professional who has demonstrated successful experience with and the desire to strengthen partnerships with City Council, community leaders, and regional agencies.

The next Chief will inherit a department with many strengths, including a dedicated workforce, strong community support, supportive City leadership, and a positive reputation. Spartanburg’s Chief will have the opportunity to make a big difference – guiding strategic improvements in structure, leadership development, and technology. A thoughtful, adaptive leadership approach is desired to help the department and city navigate increased pressure from rapid population growth, increasing service demands, staffing shortages, and community public safety challenges such as youth violence, homelessness, and mental health-related calls. The next Chief is highly skilled in balancing strategic planning to address complex public safety challenges while prioritizing and maintaining strong community relationships and public trust.

About the Community:

While home to approximately 38,000 residents, the City of Spartanburg functions as the economic, medical, educational, and cultural hub for a regional population of more than 328,000. The daytime population swells significantly as employees, students, patients, and visitors flow in from across the Upstate. Positioned along the thriving I-85 corridor between Charlotte and Atlanta, Spartanburg combines the accessibility and economic opportunity of a major growth market with the character, culture, and livability of a vibrant mid-sized city.

Since 2017, Downtown Spartanburg has seen $1.24 billion in development, and today the area supports around 13,700 jobs. Punctuated by this recent surge of investment, downtown is continuing to mature as a walkable, mixed-use district filled with locally owned restaurants, retail shops, galleries, coffeehouses, live music venues, and residential developments. The downtown residential population has grown dramatically in recent years, from an estimated 461 units in the downtown core in 2016 to well over 1,000 today, with another 3,000+ units nearby. New investment continues to reshape the city’s urban core, including major redevelopment projects centered around the western portion of downtown.

Spartanburg’s downtown is also increasingly defined by its recreation and entertainment offerings. Fifth Third Park, home of the Hub City Spartanburgers minor league baseball team, has quickly become a regional destination and a catalyst for additional investment and activity. The city’s growing calendar of festivals and community events has further strengthened Spartanburg’s reputation as a regional cultural hub. Annual events such as the Hub City Hog Fest barbecue festival and the Spartanburg Criterium cycling race bring thousands of visitors downtown each year and transform downtown into a major entertainment destination. From April through August, friends and families from across the region gather in Downtown Spartanburg every Thursday evening from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. for the City’s popular “Music on Main” concert series, featuring some of the hottest and most diverse bands in the region.

Outdoor recreation and access to nature are important parts of Spartanburg’s quality of life. Residents and visitors enjoy an extensive and expanding network of parks, trails, and green spaces, including the Daniel Morgan Trail System and Barnet Park. Spartanburg’s location near the Blue Ridge Mountains also provides convenient access to hiking, cycling, camping, and water recreation throughout the Upstate region.

At its heart, Spartanburg is a community deeply invested in its future. Our residents thrive within a diverse collection of neighborhoods, each with its own identity, history, strengths, challenges, and opportunities. The next Chief must value authentic community relations and understand that effective public safety begins with trust, visibility, responsiveness, and engagement at the neighborhood level. In Spartanburg, we don’t have to go far to see the results of intentional neighborhood revitalization. Our Northside Neighborhood is a historic textile mill community nationally recognized for its resident-led and equitable redevelopment efforts. Over the past decade, the Northside Initiative has helped drive new housing, public infrastructure improvements, educational partnerships, and community-centered investment while preserving neighborhood identity and strengthening quality of life.

Higher education plays a major role in the city’s identity and continued growth. Wofford College, Converse University, Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine Carolinas Campus, University of South Carolina Upstate, and Spartanburg Community College all maintain a strong presence in or near downtown and contribute significantly to the city’s economic activity, workforce development, arts and cultural offerings, and overall vibrancy.

Duties/Responsibilities

About the Organization, Department, and Position:

The City of Spartanburg operates under the Council-Manager form of government and is governed by a mayor and a six-member City Council representing districts throughout the city. With an adopted FY 2025–2026 budget of approximately $56 million and more than 400 employees, the City continues to position itself as one of South Carolina’s most dynamic and rapidly growing communities. Guided by the collaborative vision reflected in its “Many Voices, One Vision” comprehensive planning initiative, Spartanburg emphasizes community engagement, neighborhood investment, inclusive growth, and responsive local government. City leadership has helped drive significant reinvestment in downtown Spartanburg, neighborhood revitalization efforts, economic development, and public infrastructure while maintaining a strong focus on quality of life and long-term community sustainability.

The Spartanburg Police Department is a CALEA-accredited law enforcement agency committed to “Serving a Safe & Vibrant City” through professional, responsive, and community-oriented policing. Serving one of South Carolina’s most dynamic communities, the department emphasizes strong partnerships with residents, businesses, schools, and community organizations to enhance quality of life and maintain public trust. Organized across multiple divisions—including patrol, criminal investigations, and traffic enforcement—the department provides police services throughout four primary patrol districts. The department’s mission, vision, and values emphasize integrity, accountability, respect, partnerships, and employee development while fostering strong, trust-based relationships throughout the community.

The next Chief will lead the department from a purpose-built headquarters facility opened in 2023 adjacent to the downtown core. The approximately 40,000-square-foot building was designed around the operational needs of a modern police agency. Housed within the facility, the department’s Real Time Crime Center (RTCC) serves as the technology and intelligence backbone of the department's operations, functioning on a cloud-based platform designed to aggregate live and recorded data into a single operational interface. Integrating public and privately opted-in cameras, license-plate reader data, and officer and vehicle locations, the RTCC enables coordinated responses across agencies in real time. The department's broader technology portfolio includes body-worn and in-car cameras and a drone program, and the City has committed to continued expansion of technology-centered capabilities. Among the department’s goals for 2026 are enhancing community safety, strengthening public trust, and improving organizational effectiveness. Strategic priorities include expanding community engagement and transparency efforts, improving downtown safety and economic vitality, addressing youth violence through prevention and intervention initiatives, and leveraging technology through the continued expansion of the RTCC.

Reporting to the City Manager, the Police Chief oversees a budget of over $16 million and leads an executive command staff that includes a Deputy Chief of Police, three Majors, and two Captain. Spartanburg’s police department features 117 sworn (authorized 128) and 19 non-sworn employees, and 4 part-time non-sworn school crossing guards. Spartanburg’s Chief will passionately lead the department with vision and intention, ensuring employees feel supported, valued, and aligned around a shared vision for the organization.

The next Chief will work collaboratively with City leadership, businesses, schools, service providers, and community partners to address emerging public safety challenges across the city including youth violence and gang activity, homelessness, mental health-related calls for service, and increasing downtown activity. The Chief will lead the department in maintaining strong police visibility and community relationships throughout the City of Spartanburg. It will also be essential for the next Chief to expand the department’s use of technology, training, and operational resources to improve efficiency, officer safety, and long-term departmental effectiveness.

Key Position Priorities:

-Strengthen recruitment, retention, and training through strategic efforts to enhance the police department’s hiring process while ensuring competitive compensation, benefits, incentives, and career and leadership development opportunities for staff.

-Evaluate operational practices and organizational structure, including staffing capacity, to ensure the department is positioned to meet the City’s evolving public safety needs effectively.

-Assess the internal needs of the department, including mental and emotional needs of staff, and utilize best practices to foster a cohesive culture with high morale, respect, and recognition, and a renewed commitment to one another and the community.

-Enhance police visibility, community engagement, and trust across all areas of the city while maintaining transparency and accountability.

-Gain insight into the community’s history, culture, and changing demographics – gathering data through active listening from stakeholders (employees, community members, city leaders, etc.) on the community’s needs, challenges and opportunities; Work collaboratively to build a unified plan to address public safety challenges impacting the City.

Qualifications

Requires a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, public administration, or another 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 of professional management or related experience in police administration, including three to four years of related administrative supervisory experience. Must possess current advanced SC LE certification or be eligible to acquire. A master’s degree and executive law enforcement training are preferred. Must have a valid SC driver’s license or the ability to obtain a valid SC driver’s license within 60 days of relocating to SC.

Transfers: In-state candidates may transfer their law enforcement officer certification to another agency in SC provided they have less than a 12-month break in service at time of appointment. In-state candidates with less than a three-year break in SC service may receive partial credit toward basic law enforcement training. Out-of-state candidates who are serving or have served as a local or state law enforcement officer must have successfully completed a basic law enforcement training course accredited by the state from which they are transferring and cannot have a break in full-time service exceeding three years at the time of appointment. Individuals with Federal law enforcement officer certification who have not had a break in service exceeding three years at the time of appointment are evaluated on a case-by-case basis by the SC Criminal Justice Academy.

The Successful Candidate:

-Has integrity, honesty, accountability, and “an ample backbone,” while being fair, consistent, and willing to openly support officers when they are right and hold employees accountable when necessary;

-Demonstrates strong communication skills, values the input of command staff and employees, and is confident enough to make difficult decisions while appreciating the value of feedback and different perspectives;

-Has a “servant’s heart,” genuinely values Spartanburg and its people, and demonstrates a genuine long-term commitment to the community by being visible, accessible, and invested in the city’s history, culture, and future;

-Supports employees through mentorship, leadership development, training, and coaching the next generation of leaders while helping employees feel appreciated, supported, and invested in the future of the department;

-Brings proven leadership, strategic thinking, and adaptability, with the ability to approach complex public safety challenges creatively while taking time to understand Spartanburg’s culture, relationships, and organizational environment before implementing significant change;

-Values professionalism, accreditation, and continuous improvement by maintaining CALEA standards, ensuring policies remain current, and embracing technology, innovation, and modern policing practices to take the department into the next generation;

-Is politically astute and collaborative, able to work effectively with City Council, the City Manager, judges, community organizations, and regional partners while advocating for the department, maintaining professionalism under pressure, and balancing competing community interests;

-Understands the importance of community-oriented policing, cultural awareness, and police visibility, ensuring officers remain approachable, well-trained, and connected to the neighborhoods, at-risk populations, and communities they serve; and,

-Is decisive and solutions-oriented, with the ability to balance operational demands, organizational change, community expectations, and budget realities while pursuing partnerships, funding opportunities, and long-term organizational sustainability.

Additional Information

Salary and Benefits: The salary range for the position is $115,481.60 (min) - $141,564.80 (mid) - $167,648.00(max). Starting salary is dependent on qualifications and experience. The City of Spartanburg provides a robust benefits package, including medical and dental coverage, short-term disability, life insurance, and access to a free on-site health clinic. Please note residency within the City of Spartanburg is expected within a negotiated timeframe.

To apply, please visit https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/developmentalassociates and click on the Chief of Police – City of Spartanburg, SC 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 27, 2026

-Successful semi-finalists will be invited to participate in virtual interviews and skill evaluation interviews on July 30-31, 2026. Candidates are encouraged to reserve these dates for virtual meetings should they be invited to participate.

-Direct inquiries to [email protected]

The City of Spartanburg, SC, is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Developmental Associates, LLC, manages the recruitment and selection process for this position. To learn more about our selection process, visit https://developmentalassociates.com/client-openings/, select "Client Openings," and scroll down to "Important Information for Applicants."

The recruitment and selection process are being managed by Developmental Associates, LLC