The City of Basehor is recruiting for a Police Chief. Basehor is a growing city in the southeast corner of Leavenworth County and is uniquely positioned with great accessibility to the Greater Kansas City Metro Area. Basehor is the 2nd fastest growing city in Kansas with a population of 5,000 or more as of the last certified census. Basehor is the 3rd safest city in Kansas. The City of Basehor has a AA+ Bond Rating from S&P Global Ratings and continues to receive the highest rate of opinion from external auditors annually. The City of Basehor is a City of the 3rd Class and is governed by a Mayor and 5-member City Council. All staff, including the Police Chief, are under the direction and authority of the City Administrator. The City’s estimated population for 2025 is 8,152. The City issues between 75-125 new building permits annually. The City has a stable Governing Body and City Administrator. In the most recently conducted Citizen Satisfaction Survey, the City ranks higher than both regional and national averages with levels of satisfaction of City services, including the Police Department.
Immediate Supervisor: City Administrator
Department: Police
FLSA Classification: Exempt
Status Classification: Full Time (flexible w/ some weekends and evenings)
Education: High School Diploma/GED, prefer a bachelor’s degree with course work in Criminal Justice, Business Administration and 5 years in a similar role; or an equivalent combination of education and experience; must be eligible for State Certification
Out-of-Town Travel: Required to attend out-of-town training and meetings
Introductory Period: One year or as stipulated at time of hire
Age Requirement: 21 years or older (State Requirement)
POSITION SUMMARY
This position is responsible for the management, budget oversight, resolution of personnel issues, citizen complaints and concerns of the City’s Police Department. This department head position shall possess excellent supervisory, verbal and written communication, organizational, management, and public relation skills. Including the Chief position, the Police Department has 18 full-time positions, with 16 sworn positions and 2 nonsworn positions.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
- Develops, administers, and maintains department policies and procedures;
- Fields questions, concerns, and complaints from the general public;
- Protects the life and property of citizens in Basehor by enforcing all federal, state, and local laws and ordinances;
- Performs patrol and traffic control duties, makes arrests, and issues traffic citations;
- Investigates all types of criminal, child abuse, sexual assault, and crimes against juveniles;
- Supervises, evaluates, and disciplines subordinates personnel;
- Prepares and completes reports to all necessary reporting departments and agencies;
- Resolves governing body, personnel issues, and citizen concerns;
- Supervises the operation of the entire Police Department;
- Assists other departments as the need arises;
- Lectures civic groups;
- Assigns work assignments to subordinates;
- Performs other duties as deemed necessary or assigned.
POSITION REQUIREMENTS
Experience: Ten or more years of law enforcement experience, with five or more years of administrative experience is required.
Education: High School Diploma/GED, prefer a bachelor’s degree with course work in Criminal Justice, Business Administration and 5 years in a similar role; or an equivalent combination of education and experience; must be eligible for State Certification. Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center (KLETC) certified.
Technical Skills: Must have a thorough knowledge of all federal, state and local laws and ordinances. Knowledge of computers, law enforcement techniques, law enforcement supervision, and budget preparation is expected. Chief of Police must be able to efficiently operate firearms, computers, two-way radios, office equipment, and other law enforcement equipment. Must have the ability to interpret data, to complete and check reports and documents, to develop and maintain department policies and procedures, understand and anticipate problems, read and interpret manuals, legal documents, reports and written instructions is required. The position will require excellent public relation, supervisory, organizational, management, and oral and written communication skills.
Problem Solving: Frequent independent problem solving is involved in this position with personnel issues, citizen complaints, budget and City Council concerns.
Decision Making: Daily independent decision making is involved in this position. The Chief of Police makes decisions about prioritizing work assignments, resolving personnel issues and citizen complaints, preparing annual budget, and performing daily duties.
Supervision: This employee is subject to daily supervision from the City Administrator. This position exercises supervision over subordinate personnel. Although this person is responsible for attending City Council meetings and interacting with elected officials, this position does not take any direction from the Mayor or City Council.
Financial Accountability: This employee is responsible for departmental equipment and resources, has authority to purchase necessary supplies, and participates in the annual budget process.
Personal Relations: Daily contact with the general public, co-workers, supervisory personnel, and occasional contact with the governing body is expected.
Working Conditions: Adverse working conditions exist within this position. Exposure to hazardous chemicals, explosives, heights, excessive noise, and all types of weather conditions is expected. This employee is exposed to an element of risk to personal safety. This employee is exposed to blood borne pathogens while investigating crime scenes, seizing and preserving evidence, and assisting ambulance crews. This position will occasionally come in contact with angry citizens.
Physical Requirements: The ability to pass and maintain all physical requirements of the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center is recommended.
Additional Information: The specific statements shown in each section of this description are not intended to be all inclusive. They represent typical elements and criteria considered necessary to successfully perform the job. This position is expected to attend City Council Meetings, Planning Commission Meetings, and other community events throughout the year. The City’s Interim Chief role is currently filled with the Police Department’s Deputy Police Chief. The Deputy Police Chief has made it respectfully known to City leadership that they do not wish to seek the opportunity for the position of Police Chief. Therefore, the City is conducting this recruitment.
Salary: The salary range for this position is $120,478-$147,585 with consideration of previous experience and qualifications. The City of Basehor offers a generous benefits package including retirement contributions, Medical, Dental, Vision, and paid time off (PTO). The City of Basehor participates in KP&F for sworn employees, including the Police Chief.
How to Apply: Submit resume, cover letter, and 5 professional references by email to Maddie Bouton, Deputy City Administrator, at mbouton@cityofbasehor.org
The first review of application materials will begin on Monday, September 8, 2025. Candidates should be prepared for a combination of written questionnaires, virtual interviews, phone interviews, and in-person panel interviews.
This position will remain open until the position is filled. Questions regarding this position and its recruitment can be emailed to Maddie Bouton, Deputy City Administrator, at mbouton@cityofbasehor.org
