Chief of Police - Wilson, NC

Overview

The City of Wilson, NC is seeking a collaborative and forward-thinking Chief of Police to lead a department at a pivotal moment of organizational change and community growth. The next Chief must be a visible, engaged leader who prioritizes communication, trust-building, and morale while creating a culture where employees feel heard, supported, and valued. The ideal candidate combines strong people skills with solid, hands-on policing experience and a commitment to community policing and relationship-building.

The City of Wilson was incorporated in 1849 and is located on the eastern seaboard along Interstate 95 in NC. It is the largest municipality in Wilson County and serves as the county seat. The city has a diverse economy with more than 1800 private businesses in biotech, agriculture, manufacturing, healthcare, and services. Wilson is home to major companies and has ongoing development projects in historic Downtown Wilson and the Vollis Simpson Whirligig Park.

Wilson is known for its community culture, parks, trails, festivals, and a fiber-to-the-premise network that offers high-speed services.

The City operates under a Council/Manager form of government, led by a Mayor and seven council members. The Police Department is among high-performing departments, with Wilson Energy recognized for reliability. The city’s 2043 Comprehensive Plan guides future growth, and the FY2026 budget totals $. Reporting to the Assistant City Manager, the Chief of Police oversees a FY2026 budget of approximately $18,353,460 and leads a senior staff of two majors and six captains, with a department of 143 employees.

A primary responsibility is to increase staffing and strengthen recruitment and retention to address vacancies, workload, and burnout, while aligning staffing strategies with anticipated growth and major initiatives such as a new baseball stadium.

• Build a strong organizational culture with clear leadership, improved internal communication, accountability, and supervisory support.
• Stabilize staffing and improve retention by addressing vacancies and developing sustainable staffing strategies.
• Enhance operational readiness and officer support by assessing fleet, equipment, technology, and resource needs for growth and evolving service demands.
• Manage the department’s budget with strong fiscal oversight and a long-term strategy to address compensation and funding needs.

The City seeks a law enforcement leader with at least 20 years of progressively responsible policing experience in a municipality of similar size, plus 4–7 years of cross-functional and administrative/command-level experience. A BA/BS degree or equivalent experience is required.

• A master’s degree.
• Graduation from an executive development program (e.g., FBI National Academy, PERF SMIP).
• Experience with CALEA accreditation.
• Experience managing large or special events, such as stadium or street events.

In-state candidates may transfer their certification with limited breaks in service. Out-of-state candidates must have completed aBasic law enforcement training course accredited by the state of transfer, with limited breaks in service. Military police training may qualify for partial credit.

• Demonstrates commitment to line officers, ensuring their perspectives are central to leadership decisions and providing visible support.
• Communicates transparently, listens actively, and leads with emotional intelligence to keep employees, City leadership, and the community informed and connected.
• Stays current with law enforcement trends and technology, while ensuring staff understand the why behind decisions.
• Maintains a visible leadership presence and oversees patrol operations beyond a purely administrative approach.
• Brings tactical and operational experience in high-call-volume environments and credibility with line officers.
• Builds a positive, unified culture by developing leaders and aligning priorities across the organization.
• Exhibits moral courage and integrity, providing calm…