University of Massachusetts Amherst
Assistant Vice Chancellor/Chief of Police
The University of Massachusetts Amherst (UMass) is a public research and land-grant university in Amherst, Massachusetts,
and the flagship of the University of Massachusetts system. With 1,300 faculty members and more than 28,000 students,
UMass Amherst is the largest public university in New England and is ranked among top 30 public universities in the nation.
The campus, located on nearly 1,450 acres in the scenic Pioneer Valley in Western Massachusetts, 90 miles from Boston and
175 miles from New York City, provides a rich cultural environment in a rural setting close to major urban centers.
Reporting to the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and Campus Life, the Assistant Vice Chancellor/Chief of Police is
responsible for the administration, operation, and financial oversight of a comprehensive, CALEA accredited, full-service
police department with 61 sworn officers. The department provides patrol, investigative, and emergency response, includes
specialized units (mounted officers, motorcycle, mountain bike, canine, and cadets) and offers crime prevention, community
outreach, educational services, and programs to the campus community. The AVC/Chief will manage an annual budget
approaching $8 million and provide leadership in the development of the police department’s goals and objectives, policies
and procedures, officer recruitment, training and supervision, procurement and property maintenance, community policing,
crime statistic and federal compliance reporting, criminal incident management, and emergency management. The AVC/Chief
works collaboratively with the Vice Chancellor to direct campus response to emergencies and crisis situations; works with the
division of student affairs and campus life to coordinate the off-hour emergency on-call system and to provide safety and
security services to more than 13,000 students living on campus; partners across campus and local jurisdictions to address
issues of traffic control and security coverage for large regional events and programs that occur on campus; and works closely
with local and state public safety officials and the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA).
The successful candidate must possess a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree preferred, with the ability to obtain Massachusetts
Police Training Certification (or be able to obtain a waiver for certification) and ten years of substantive experience in campus
law enforcement, with command supervision, budget, and operational/programmatic responsibilities for safety and security in
a residential college or university setting. A previous record of success as a chief serving a university campus is highly desirable.
The successful candidate will have demonstrated experience in developing collaborative relationships with community
partners, municipal, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, as well as with emergency preparedness, crisis management
response, communication systems, and accreditation standards. In addition, the AVC/Chief will have excellent
communications skills and experience in media relations, possess a vision for building a cutting edge law enforcement agency
with an emphasis on best practices in a higher education setting; and the ability to establish and maintain productive
relationships with a full and diverse range of campus constituents. Preferably, the AVC/Chief will have experience working in
a multi-faceted, accredited agency that has a large regional presence with a demonstrated commitment to community policing
as it relates to a residential campus and knowledge of or experience with working in an union environment.
Review of applications will begin September 2, 2015 and will continue until the position is filled. A resume with an
accompanying cover letter may be submitted via the SJG website at www.spelmanandjohnson.com under the link Current
Searches. Nominations for this position may be emailed to Heather J Larabee at hjl@spelmanandjohnson.com.
SJG – The Spelman & Johnson Group
University of Massachusetts Amherst – Assistant Vice Chancellor/Chief of Police
Heather J. Larabee, Search Associate
Visit the UMass Amherst website at www.umass.edu
The University of Massachusetts Amherst prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, sex, age, marital status, national origin, mental or physical disability,
political belief or affiliation, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, genetic information and any other class of individuals protected from discrimination
under state or federal law in any aspect of the access to, admission, or treatment of students in its programs and activities, or in employment and application for employment,
Furthermore, University policy includes prohibitions of harassment of students and employees, i.e., racial harassment, sexual harassment, and retaliation for filing complaints of
discrimination.