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Personnel committee approves looser education requirement for police chief job description
Summary
The City of Manitowoc Personnel Committee approved a revised police chief job description that makes a bachelor's degree preferred rather than required, allowing an associate degree plus additional law enforcement experience to qualify.
The City of Manitowoc Personnel Committee on Aug. (date not specified) approved a revised job description for the police chief that lists a bachelor's degree as preferred but allows an associate degree combined with additional law enforcement experience to meet qualifications. The committee retained language prioritizing completion of the FBI National Academy or similar command-level training.
Committee staff said the change is intended to broaden the applicant pool after difficulty staffing department positions. "We have been slowly changing the qualifications for some of our police department job descriptions due to some trouble that we've been having staffing those positions," a staff member (Jesse) told the committee. Jesse added the draft still prefers a bachelor's degree but would allow an associate degree coupled with experience and command training.
Alder Oliver Cummings, who moved the motion, said his own experience supported the change. "I personally have a associate's degree in criminal justice and a bachelor's degree as well and years of experience," Cummings said. "I don't think my bachelor's degree really made a difference in anything in that capacity. And the years of experience and being the right person, obviously, is the best part." He later added, "You know, I'd I'd rather have that versus a piece of paper." Alder Albert Beaman seconded the motion.
Action: Motion by Alder Oliver Cummings, seconded by Alder Albert Beaman, to approve the revised job description for police chief. Outcome: approved (voice vote). No recorded roll-call tally was transcribed. The committee noted this revision continues to favor candidates with FBI National Academy or equivalent command-level training.
Why it matters: The change alters the department's formal minimum/ preferred qualifications for its top sworn position and may affect who can apply when the city conducts a police chief recruitment.
The committee indicated the item will be placed on the consent agenda for council consideration as appropriate.
