Chief of Police
Developmental Associates Asheville, NC, USA
- Location: Asheville, NC, USA
- Categories: Administration and Management, Public Safety
- Job Type: Full Time
- Posted: Jul 01, 2026
Job Description:
Chief of Police
Description
About the Organization, Department and Position
The City of Asheville operates under a Council-Manager form of government, where the elected City Council establishes the community's policy vision, and the City Manager oversees daily municipal operations. Managing a comprehensive fiscal portfolio, the City maintains an annual budget of $275.8 million for FY 2026-2027 and relies on the dedicated service of nearly 1,300 full-time personnel distributed across 17 municipal departments.
The Chief of Police is appointed by and reports to the City Manager’s Office. Asheville’s Chief of Police manages an annual departmental operating budget of $41.84M and leads a dedicated team of 272 allocated personnel, which includes:
- 232 Authorized Sworn Positions, 191 of which are filled, and 11 cadets are in training. While there are 41 total vacancies, recruitment is scheduled for 26 funded positions in FY27.
- 40 Authorized Professional Staff (100% filled with 0 vacancies).
The Chief exercises direct leadership over: the Administration Bureau Deputy Chief, the Operations Bureau Deputy Chief, the Professional Standards Lieutenant, and an Executive Assistant. Structurally, the department provides comprehensive public safety services across four primary divisions: Administration, Patrol, Criminal Investigations, and Community Engagement (currently realigning as the Specialized Operations Division). The department also conducts a Citizens Police Academy and a Junior Police Academy that connects with teens in the community.
The Asheville Police Department values transparency, as evidenced through its data dashboards, providing the public with current and historical crime conditions in the community. Data dashboards are accessible on the city’s website here. The department utilizes Automatic License Plate Reader (ALPR) technology to enhance public safety and investigative capabilities. In cooperation with the Asheville Fire Department, APD utilizes Drone Technology to assist with search and rescue efforts. The use of drones was critical during the department’s response to Hurricane Helene to locate people after the storm.