Career Opportunity

Chief of Police

Application Process

Thank you for your interest in serving the Goshen community. You are invited to submit responses to the reflective questions (on the form below) as part of your application. These questions are designed to help us understand your leadership style, your approach to collaboration, and how you think about policing in a community like Goshen.

Your responses will be reviewed by the Mayor and the advisory taskforce involved in the selection process. We welcome brief, thoughtful answers. You do not need to write extensively to be effective; a few focused paragraphs for each question are sufficient. We suggest keeping responses concise and recommend 50-250 words per question.

To apply, please submit a copy of your resume and reflection question responses using the form below by January 29, 2026.

Job Summary

The City of Goshen seeks applicants for the Chief of Police position. We are looking for a steady, forward-thinking leader who will guide and support our officers as they serve the community with professionalism, compassion, and integrity. The Chief plays a central role on the City’s leadership team, aligning public safety efforts with community needs and long-term priorities.

The ideal candidate strengthens department culture, encourages innovation, and builds strong partnerships across City departments and emergency response teams. The Chief also serves as a strong advocate for local policing and public safety, working with City leadership to engage state and federal partners on issues that affect municipal law enforcement. The Chief ensures that policing in Goshen remains community-oriented, transparent, fiscally responsible, and grounded in service.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Strategy and Alignment
- Strategy: Establish departmental goals, policies, procedures, and the Chief’s directives.
- Alignment: Collaborate with the Mayor to ensure police priorities support Citywide objectives.
Culture and Leadership Development
- Culture: Strengthen departmental culture through teambuilding, communication, and colleague support.
- Leadership Development: Prepare officers and supervisors for increased responsibility and long-term growth.
Safety and Integrated Public Safety Partnerships
- Safety: Lead internal safety protocols and training across City departments.
- Partnerships: Maintain strong working relationships with emergency response partners and City of Goshen departments.
- Integration: Advance coordinated systems and shared priorities across public safety functions.
Professional Standards and Operational Management
- Professional Standards: Uphold accountability and professional expectations throughout the department.
- Communication: Lead regular executive and general staff meetings.
- Delegation: Direct and delegate operational responsibilities through the department’s leadership structure.
Personnel Systems and Colleague Support
- Retention: Implement strategies that support colleague engagement and career-path development.
- Hiring: Oversee recruitment and selection processes for all new department colleagues.
- Evaluation: Conduct performance evaluations and maintain administrative oversight of personnel files.
- Personnel Actions: Recommend promotions, advancements, and corrective actions when appropriate.
Community and External Relations
- External Relations: Build partnerships with governmental and community organizations.
- Representation: Represent the department at civic events and public meetings.
- Public Communication: Coordinate communication efforts to ensure clear, timely information for residents.
Fiscal and Resource Management
- Budgeting: Lead annual budget planning and oversee all allocated funds.
- Asset Management: Manage departmental records, equipment, and inventory.
- Fiscal Planning: Advise the Mayor on fiscal strategy, grants, and long-term capital needs.
Long-Range Planning and Modernization
- Planning: Guide strategic planning and modernization initiatives for the department.
Grants and Compliance
- Grants: Prepare grant applications and ensure compliance with reporting requirements..

Minimum Training and Experience Required

Bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, public administration, or a related field (or equivalent combination of training and experience).
Extensive law enforcement experience with progressive supervisory and management responsibilities.
Demonstrated leadership experience in public safety organizations.
Strong public speaking and presentation skills, with demonstrated ability to communicate effectively in community settings and formal meetings.

Special Requirements

Certification as a law enforcement officer in the State of Indiana, or the ability to obtain certification promptly upon appointment.
Valid Indiana driver’s license.
Residence within Goshen City limits is preferred but not required.

Minimum Physical and Mental Abilities

Ability to perform administrative and operational duties in both office and field environments.
Ability to respond to emergencies, major incidents, and urgent operational needs outside regular business hours.
Ability to navigate complex personnel and public safety situations with discretion, integrity, emotional resilience, and sound judgment.
Ability to perform essential functions requiring sustained attention, decision-making, and communication.

Supervisor Responsibilities

Direct supervision of the Assistant Chief, two Division Chiefs, and an Executive Assistant.
Provides leadership and oversight for all Police Department colleagues through supervisory staff.
Responsible for department-wide leadership, professional standards, and accountability systems.

Mathematical Ability

Ability to perform budgetary calculations, analyze financial data, and interpret statistical information related to crime trends, staffing, and resource allocation.

Language Ability and Interpersonal Communication

Ability to communicate clearly, confidently, and professionally in written and verbal forms.
Strong public speaking skills suitable for community engagement, press briefings, and formal presentations.
Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with colleagues, elected leaders, partner agencies, and community members.
Ability to manage sensitive interactions with diplomacy, tact, and cultural awareness.

Environmental Adaptability

Work performed in office and field settings.
Exposure to varying weather conditions while responding to incidents.
May involve exposure to high-stress situations, emergency scenes, and interactions with individuals in crisis.

Rate of Pay

Annual Salary $103,581.92 + Comprehensive benefit package.
Grade 25 per 2026 Salary Ordinance.

Work Hours

Monday -Friday 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Must be available for emergencies, major incidents, and time-sensitive operational needs outside standard business hours.

Position
Chief of Police
Department
Police Department
Job Category
PAT (Professional, Administrative, Technological)
Status
Permanent, Full-Time, Political Appointment
FLSA
Exempt, Salary
Scheduling
40 Hours Weekly (must be available for emergencies, major incidents, and time-sensitive operational needs outside standard hours).
Reports To
Mayor
Date of Announcement
December 10, 2025
Application Deadline
January 29, 2026, or until position is filled

The City of Goshen provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants. EOE/Drug Free/Smoke Free.

Application Form

"*" indicates required fields

X/Twitter

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Your Name*

First Last

Phone Number*

Email Address*

Resume*

Please upload your resume

Max. file size: 64 MB.

Reflection Questions

Teamwork

Tell us about a time when you helped a team work toward a shared goal. What was the first step you took, and what guided your approach?

Growth

Looking back on your career, can you share a belief or perspective about policing that has shifted or deepened for you over time? What experience helped shape that change?

Philosophy

What does successful policing look like in Goshen?

Culture and Trust

From your experience, what internal factors help a police department support strong morale and foster trust and safety in the community? How do you see the Chief contributing to those conditions?

Personal Development

Leaders continue to evolve throughout their careers. What is something you have intentionally worked on recently to grow as a leader? What learning approaches (such as reading, podcasts, one-on-one coaching, group training, or collaboration) are currently the tools you use to stay informed, avoid stagnation, and support your ongoing development?

Collaboration Across Differences

Describe a time when you worked with or reported to a leader whose perspective or lived experience differed from your own. How did you approach building trust and collaboration in that relationship?

Innovation and Judgment

In your work, how do you decide when to introduce new practices or ideas, and when it is best to rely on established approaches?

Intergovernmental Alignment

Policing involves working alongside local, state, and federal partners. What principles guide you when objectives between units of government are not fully aligned?

Community Connection

Tell us about a time when you contributed to greater understanding or connection within a team or community. How might that experience guide your work in Goshen?

Representation and Community Trust

What role, if any, do you believe representation (including gender, ethnicity, age, and lived experience) plays in a police department’s connection to the community it serves? How might you support that connection in Goshen?