Chief of Police – City of Indianola, Iowa

The City of Indianola, IA (Population 16,000) is seeking an adaptable and experienced law enforcement professional to serve as their next Chief of Police. The City desires a forward-thinking leader with a demonstrated commitment to community-oriented policing. The next Chief must have a proven history of implementing modern policing strategies and a stellar reputation for being open-minded, respectful of different viewpoints, and collaborative. The Chief of Police plays an instrumental role in the quality of life for residents in and around the City of Indianola. The previous Chief retired with 31 years of service, the last three years as Chief of Police.

A unique and caring community located in south-central Iowa that’s just minutes from downtown Des Moines and the Des Moines International Airport, Indianola is a full-service city that has approximately 234 regular full-time, part-time and seasonal employees. Indianola is home to Simpson College, a private four-year liberal arts college, the National Balloon Classic, the Des Moines Metro Opera and the Warren County Fair. The city offers outstanding indoor and outdoor recreational amenities, with 14 parks providing over 255 acres of green space as well as a city-owned wellness center and aquatics facility.

The City of Indianola is governed by a mayor and a six-member city council. The mayor and council serve four-year staggered terms. The City Council appoints the City Manager who oversees all daily operations.

With an annual budget of approximately $4M the police department strives to consistently seek and find ways to promote, preserve, and deliver a feeling of security, safety, and quality services to all members of the community. The department consists of 24 full-time sworn officers, including the Chief, one Captain, one Operations Lieutenant, one Patrol Lieutenant, and three Sergeants, three detectives, and two school resource officers. Additionally, the department has seven non-sworn members that provide administrative, clerical, and operational support. Police officers are organized into a collective bargaining unit represented the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Local Union 238 and Police Union.

The successful candidates will:

• Be an outstanding communicator with the ability to demonstrate adaptive leadership.
• Have a proven history of implementing and sustaining Community Policing practices.
• Have knowledge of modern policing principles, practices, and theories, with particular attention to supervising police services and operations.
• Manage proactively, anticipate issues and trends, and deal effectively with the general public with specific knowledge of methods and techniques of public relations.
• Make themselves approachable and accessible to residents, business leaders, stakeholders, and employees.
• Be adept at combining an empowering management style with authentic leadership, and an ability to embrace strategic thinking beyond the walls of the police department.
• Foster an atmosphere of mutual respect and cooperation with police personnel and other department heads and staff members.
• Deftly leverage regional resources and partnerships to bolster the expertise of officers and enhance service delivery to residents.
• Apply a variety of management principles and practices that govern the supervision and deployment of personnel.
• Retain the current talent of officers and develop effective strategies to recruit top-tier police personnel.
• Be a mentor and support professional development of all police personnel.
• Embrace and implement innovative police practices and technologies.
• Demonstrate sound financial acumen and a clear understanding of resources.

Candidates should also have an equivalent combination of education, training and experience which provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities, as outlined below:

• Ten years of service in law enforcement, including five years of supervisory and/or administrative service experience in a full-time, paid police department.
• A bachelor’s degree is required, criminal justice or a related field ideal; a master’s degree is preferred.
• Leadership training such as the F.B.I. National Academy, Northwestern University School of Police Staff and Command, Police Executive Research Forum Senior Management Institute for Police, and/or similar programs is preferred.
• Must be licensed by the State of Iowa POST Board or be able to become licensed within the first six months of employment.

The salary range for this position is $128,953.06 to $174,227.42 dependent on the candidate’s experience and qualifications. The city offers an excellent benefits package. All applications will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. The City of Indianola is an equal opportunity employer.

Apply online at www.GovHRjobs.com with a resume, cover letter, and contact information for five professional references by October 27, 2025. Confidential inquiries may be directed to Jon Fehlman and Marc Hornstein, MGT Senior Consultants, at 847-380-3240 ext. 142 & 178. Additional supporting information will be available in a soon-to-be-published brochure.

The City of Indianola is committed to providing equal employment opportunities for all persons regardless of race, color, religion, sex, marital status, national origin, citizenship status, disability or veteran status. Equal opportunity extends to all aspects of the employment relationship, including hiring, transfers, promotions, training, terminations, working conditions, compensation, benefits, and other terms and conditions of employment. The City of Indianola complies with federal and state equal opportunity laws and strives to keep the workplace free from all forms of harassment, including sexual harassment. The City of Indianola considers harassment in all forms to be a serious offense.