Full Time Police Chief Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Salary: $209,459.28 - $274,175.28 Annually
Location : Cathedral City, CA
Job Type: FULL-TIME EMPLOYEE
Job Number: 26-09
Department: Police Department
Opening Date: 05/11/2026
FLSA: Exempt
Bargaining Unit: NON-REP
Description
Located in the Coachella Valley between the cities of Palm Springs to the west and Rancho Mirage to the east, the City of Cathedral City is a vibrant, diverse community of over 55,000 residents. It is the third largest city of the nine cities in the Coachella Valley and is a majority Hispanic/Latino community.
Cathedral City is a welcoming and vibrant home for the LGBTQ+ community with estimates that nearly 30% of Cathedral City residents identify themselves as being part of the LGBTQ+ community. The City has continued to receive a perfect Municipal Equality Index (MEI) score from the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation, reflecting the City's policies and practices including having both a police department liaison as well as a city executive officer liaison for the LGBTQ+ community.
The City's leadership takes great pride in an organization where employees feel empowered, supported, and genuinely excited to come to work. Cathedral City's workforce reflects its community - diverse, hardworking, and deeply connected to the place they serve. The City is committed to ensuring that it is accessible to all residents, including the City's large and vibrant Spanish-speaking population.
Cathedral City is a full-service charter city operating under the Council-Manager form of government. The City Council is comprised of five members elected by district, including a Mayor selected by the Council. The Police Chief reports directly to the City Manager.
The Police Chief manages 82.5 sworn and non-sworn personnel with a budget of over $21M (FY 26/27) across the administration, operations, and investigations divisions and the emergency communications center. The Cathedral City Police Department also manages the City's contract with Riverside County for animal control services.
The Cathedral City Police Department has successfully recruited multiple positions and currently has limited vacancies. The department is respected within the community and has successfully established partnerships with other law enforcement agencies throughout the region.
Cathedral City has maintained one of the lowest crime rates in the Coachella Valley and has launched multiple programs and initiatives to address issues and to promote public safety within the community. These progressive initiatives demonstrate the City's commitment to solving problems and addressing public safety while maintaining the core values of professionalism, integrity, and community partnership.
Cathedral City is seeking an exceptional Police Chief who personifies integrity, trustworthiness, honesty, ethical decision making and fairness to lead the Cathedral City Police Department into the future. Cathedral City seeks a Police Chief who can meet the needs and expectations of its diverse population together with those of the sworn and non-sworn personnel of the Cathedral City Police Department and the Cathedral City Council.
In preparation for this recruitment, the City surveyed residents, Cathedral City Police Department staff, and the City Council on the characteristics or qualities they thought are important to have in the next Police Chief. There is a strong desire across the groups for a Police Chief who promotes community engagement, is proactive, can lead within a diverse community, and has excellent communication skills.
The next Police Chief will step into an active and forward-moving department. Key priorities include:

• Community Oriented Policing - Evaluating policies that serve to increase visibility and community engagement while building trust between the Cathedral City Police Department and the community.

• Recruitment & Retention - Developing recruitment and retention strategies to continue to attract and retain qualified and capable staff who reflect the values of the department and the community, including those related to workplace culture, professional development, recognition, and wellness.

• Technology & Innovation - Advancing technology initiatives and modern law enforcement tools and technologies to promote community and officer safety, including continued support for the Drone as First Responder (DFR) program and the City's involvement with the Coachella Valley Real Time Intelligence Center.

Cathedral City is seeking more than a skilled administrator - the city is looking for a leader who connects deeply with community, communicates with authenticity, and leads by example. The ideal Chief will bring executive-level law enforcement experience paired with a genuine passion for the people they serve.
The City does not participate in the Social Security system except for a mandatory Medicare
EMPLOYEE BENEFITS:
The City provides an outstanding benefits plan that includes:
- Bilingual pay
- CalPERS Health Insurance plus other Benefits
- CalPERS Retirement
- Certification and Education Incentives
- Deferred Compensation
- Educational Reimbursement
- Employee Assistance Program
- Holidays
- Life Insurance | Long Term Disability
- Sick Leave
- Vacation Accrual
- Wellness
Benefit description per bargaining unit are available for review on the City's website
- General Unit
- Cathedral City Professional Firefighters Association
- Cathedral City Fire Management Association
- Cathedral City Police Officer Association
- Cathedral City Police Management Association
01
Each applicant must complete this supplemental questionnaire as a part of the application screening and selection process. The information you provide will be reviewed and used to determine your eligibility to move forward in the selection process. Incomplete responses, false statements, omissions, partial information, and reference to resume or application may result in disqualification from the selection process. Do you agree to answer each supplemental question truthfully and that your responses can be verified from information included within the application?

• YES
• NO

02
Please indicate the highest level of formal education you have completed.

• Associate's degree
• Bachelor's degree
• Master's degree or higher
• No degree

03
If you possess a degree, please indicate the area of emphasis.

• Criminology
• Law Enforcement
• Social Science
• Public Administration
• Related field
• No degree

04
How many years of municipal police work do you possess? Note: experience must also be listed on your application.

• Six (6) years or more
• Five (5) to six (6) years
• Four (4) to five (5) years
• Less than four (4) years

05
How many years of management and administrative responsibility do you possess? Note: experience must also be listed on your application.

• Three (3) years or more
• Two (2) to three (3) years
• One (1) to two (2) years
• No experience

06
Acknowledgement: All applicants are required to answer the following questions as part of the application process. Responses must be based on your own experience and written in your own words - do not use AI tools or search engines. Please provide your answers in the spaces provided below.

• I acknowledge that all responses to the supplemental questions are my own work, based on my personal experience, and were completed without the use of AI tools or search engines. I understand that misrepresentation or dishonesty in the application process may result in disqualification from consideration or termination of employment if discovered after hiring.

07
Describe your approach to building and sustaining trust between a police department and the community it serves.
08
Effective policing in a diverse community requires a commitment to cultural competency, de-escalation, and mental health crisis response. Describe how you have integrated these principles into department policy, training, and daily operations
09
The City of Cathedral City has a distinct community identity, organizational culture, and set of priorities for its Police Department. What specifically drew you to this opportunity, and how does this position align with your professional experience, values, and long-term career goals?
10
Describe your leadership philosophy. How do you apply your leadership style when managing a department of personnel with diverse experience levels and expectations?
Required Question