The City of Lynchburg is seeking an exceptional, experienced leader to become its next Police Chief, guiding a department that is already recognized as a gold standard in Central Virginia policing. This is an executive opportunity for an individual prepared to sustain and advance existing achievements, as the Lynchburg Police Department (LPD) is a high-performing department. The Chief reports directly to the City Manager and serves a community characterized by its service orientation, historical depth, traditional values, and modern growth. Lynchburg is seeking a leader who can sustain and advance existing achievements and an individual prepared to guide a department that is already committed to operational excellence and strong community partnerships. This role is instrumental in guiding the department’s future, ensuring its strategies meet the evolving law enforcement needs of the community while fostering a relationship of trust and transparency.
The core mission of the Police Chief is to provide the visionary and strategic direction necessary to maintain the department’s effectiveness and ethical foundation. This involves inspiring a diverse team of sworn and professional personnel, actively cultivating a culture defined by high professionalism and unwavering accountability. While the Chief ensures all policies and procedures are rigorously upheld, the internal focus is primarily on elevating personnel through mentorship, actively championing professional development, fostering positive employee relationships, and delegating management responsibilities to a competent team.
The department values collaboration and responsiveness, maintaining excellent relationships across all City departments, and actively engaging community leaders and residents through initiatives like bike events, school programs, and neighborhood walks. Officers are trained to interact with the public with dignity and respect, building trust and empathy even in sensitive situations. Equally critical is the Chief’s role as the department’s primary public face and relationship builder. This leader must bring strategic awareness and relationship-building expertise to engage City leadership and regional law enforcement partners, continuing the strong interagency communication that exists across the City, counties, and surrounding regional entities. This level of engagement extends outward to establish vital working relationships with other law enforcement agencies at the regional, state, and national levels. Administratively, the position requires demonstrating excellence in human resource management—from interviewing and hiring to performance evaluation—and rigorously maintaining compliance standards, especially ensuring transparency and fidelity to bias-free policing principles through data collection and training.
Ultimately, the successful Chief will strategically guide the department to meet evolving community needs while successfully upholding and advancing its legacy of trust and transparency.
Priorities
The Successful Candidate
The City of Lynchburg’s next Police Chief will be a visionary, people-centered leader with a focus on modern policing and community engagement. The successful candidate recognizes that success begins with a strong, supported workforce and is dedicated to fostering a professional, accountable, and high-morale environment. This individual will bring a blend of hands-on experience and strategic foresight, enabling the department to navigate evolving challenges while maintaining the high quality of life Lynchburg residents expect. The department boasts a second-to-none command staff with deep internal leadership and stability. This Chief will inherit a well-equipped agency, having recently moved into a new, purpose-built headquarters that offers necessary resources and has boosted staff morale. The LPD is proud of its accreditation with CALEA and consistently follows modern, data-driven approaches like geo-policing.
The ideal candidate will embody the department’s motto – Your Partners and Your Protectors – and value connection and visibility both within the department and across the community. The ideal Police Chief will be a strong communicator and active listener. This leader will be approachable, and build trust, unity, and respect across command staff, officers, and professional staff. The successful candidate is strategic, forward-looking, and deeply committed to succession planning, ensuring the department’s long-term health. The candidate must be open to fresh ideas but also cautious about changing too much too quickly, prioritizing thoughtful, impactful transformation.
The Chief will make staff feel valued, ensuring high morale, and maintaining consistent, fair practices across the department. The ideal leader will champion better retention by actively advocating for things that genuinely improve employees’ lives—like supporting work-life balance and strengthening wellness programs. It’s essential that this Chief also actively mentors personnel, focuses on promoting the most qualified internal candidates to supervisory roles, and consistently expands training opportunities to encourage career growth for everyone.
The City is seeking an executive who hasn’t forgotten where the work happens; having solid, proven field experience as a police officer is mandatory, as is understanding the crucial operational dynamics of 911/Emergency Communications Centers. Finally, this leader needs a nuanced, practical appreciation for Lynchburg itself. They must be skillful enough to manage challenges that often resemble those in much larger cities, while operating smartly and effectively within the realistic resource constraints of a smaller municipality.
Qualifications
Minimum Education and Experience Required: A bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, business, public administration, or a related field is required, along with extensive policing experience, including five years at the commander/management level.
Preferred Qualifications and Training: A master’s degree is preferred. Also desired is continuing professional education in a law enforcement program such as the FBI Academy or the Southern Police Institute.
Other Requirements: The successful candidate must reside in the City of Lynchburg. Relocation assistance will be provided. They must satisfactorily complete all required background checks.
Inside The Organization
The City of Lynchburg has a Council-Manager form of government. In this system, the elected City Council sets policy, and an appointed City Manager is responsible for the daily operations of the government. The City Council consists of seven members who are elected to four-year, staggered terms. The council is made up of three at-large members and one member representing each of the City’s four wards.
For Fiscal Year 2026, the City of Lynchburg’s government is managed with a General Fund budget of about $250.5 million, serving a population estimated to be just over 80,000. Other financial details include the use of enterprise funds for services and specific tax rates decided by the City Council.
The City of Lynchburg’s mission and values are guided by the City Council’s vision, internal strategies, and the missions of its various departments. Overall, the City strives for innovation, integrity, and opportunity, with a focus on improving the quality of life for its residents. The following are City Council’s identified priorities:
Inside the Police Department
The Lynchburg Police Department is committed to preserving the peace, maintaining order, and providing critical homeland defense by preventing crime and protecting people and property. This is accomplished through investigating criminal activity and apprehending criminals, as well as promoting traffic safety. The department operates using a community policing operation strategy to accomplish its mission. The department is committed to working hand-in-hand with community partners to address local issues. This cooperative approach focuses on educating residents, solving neighborhood problems together, building strong, positive relationships, and encouraging local self-sufficiency.
The department is structured into the Field Operations Bureau, Administration Bureau, and Investigations Bureau. It also offers community service and educational initiatives such as crime prevention, personal safety programs, school resource officer programs, the Citizen’s Police Academy, and crime prevention through environmental design. The department’s $31 million FY 2026 budget supports 224.65 dedicated FTEs.
The Police Department maintains essential operational functions that extend beyond typical patrol and investigative duties. Emergency Communications serves as the critical Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP), acting as the central hub for citizens to request all emergency and non-emergency public safety assistance. The Animal Control Unit is tasked with comprehensive enforcement across all city streets and highways. Furthermore, the Department strategically utilizes self-funding revenue streams to support operational needs: Range Operations charges outside agencies a per-day usage fee, which directly offsets facility maintenance costs. Similarly, the Off-Duty program manages requests for security services; the resulting revenue is processed through the City’s payroll system and is intended to offset the full cost of paying participating police officers.
Our Mission and Values
The Department’s mission is: We partner with our community and protect our citizens, while respecting the rights and dignity of all persons.
The values of the Department, centered around its mission statement, include:
The Community
Lynchburg, known as the “Hill City” or the “City of Seven Hills,” is an independent city nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia, located on the James River. With a population of approximately 80,000 people, Lynchburg is the anchor of one of the largest metropolitan areas in the state and is characterized by a rich history, a growing contemporary feel, and a strong educational presence.
Lynchburg has a strong industrial base, particularly in nuclear engineering, healthcare and educational services, and advanced manufacturing. The City is focused on economic development and is actively revitalizing its walkable downtown and riverfront areas to attract new businesses and residents. Importantly, the cost of living in Lynchburg is lower than the national average, especially for housing, and the City has been recognized for its job opportunities. Lynchburg is an educational hub, home to several public and private colleges and universities, including Liberty University, the University of Lynchburg, Virginia University of Lynchburg, Randolph College, and Central Virginia Community College. The City is also served by a recognized public school system that features a unique “Partners in Education” program as well as the “Beacon of Hope” program.
Lynchburg offers residents a suburban feel with a mix of rent and homeownership, historic architecture, and close proximity to national historic sites, the Blue Ridge Parkway, and outdoor recreation opportunities. The revitalized downtown area features cultural events and attractions like the Academy Center of the Arts and Amazement Square, a children’s museum, contributing to a vibrant arts scene. For outdoor enthusiasts, the city is designated as a “Runner Friendly Community” and boasts over 40 miles of urban trails along the James River and Blackwater Creek, popular for walking and running.
Compensation and Benefits
The City of Lynchburg offers a competitive salary package for the Police Chief position, which will be dependent on the qualifications and experience of the successful candidate. The hiring range begins at $175,000 depending on qualifications, with an excellent benefits package. In addition to a competitive salary, the City offers a robust benefits package to full-time employees, including medical, dental, and vision coverage; participation in the Virginia Retirement System (VRS); paid time off and holidays; and additional programs such as life insurance, deferred compensation, flexible spending accounts, parental leave, and tuition assistance—underscoring the City’s commitment to employee well-being. Review the benefits brochure here and cost of living, housing, and relocation support information here.
How to Apply
Applications will be accepted electronically by Raftelis. Applicants complete a brief online form and are prompted to provide a cover letter and resume. The position will be open until filled with a first review of applications beginning December 19, 2025. The City of Lynchburg is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Questions
Please direct questions to Anne Lewis at alewis@raftelis.com or 540-757-0316 or Robert Colichio at rcolichio@raftelis.com.
