Chief of Police
What you'd do
Serves as the Field Chief for the VA Police Service in a geographic area that can cover multiple states, counties, parishes, and cities. Providing executive leadership and strategic oversight of law enforcement operations, physical security, crisis intervention programs, and compliance activities across a multi-facility catchment area. Ensures integrated, Veteran-centric policing; adherence to federal, state, and local laws; and alignment with VHA mission objectives.
Major duties
Major Duties Include, but are not limited to: Directs compliance and risk management activities, ensuring adherence to VA directives, and applicable federal, state, and local laws Oversees systemic compliance reviews, vulnerability assessments, and physical security surveys, approves corrective action plans, and monitors resolution of deficiencies. Directs investigations of major incidents, criminal activity, and security breaches, ensuring evidentiary integrity and legal sufficiency of case packages Provides executive law enforcement oversight for crisis intervention programs, ensuring multidisciplinary coordination with clinical partners and external agencies Provides executive leadership and guidance to subordinate supervisors and managers in implementing policies, procedures, and directives of senior management. Establishes policies and operational standards for enforcement activities, ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local laws, VA directives. Oversees investigative integrity by approving case strategies, evidence handling procedures, and warrant execution plans, ensuring legal sufficiency and adherence to evidentiary standards. Provides executive oversight for crisis intervention programs and Veteran-centric policing initiatives. Develops policies and protocols for responding to Veterans experiencing mental health crises, ensuring advanced de-escalation strategies and multidisciplinary coordination. Provides strategic leadership for physical security compliance programs across all VA properties within the established geographic area. Reviews and approves inspection findings and corrective action plans, and coordinates with Contracting Officer's Technical Representatives (COTRs), Contracting Officer's Representatives (CORs), and Infrastructure Protection Program Manager to ensure compliance and accountability Analyzes trends and systemic issues in physical security compliance, recommending policy updates and resource allocations to enhance program effectiveness. Provides guidance on complex security challenges and collaborates with senior leadership to align physical security strategies with mission objectives. Promotes a culture of continuous improvement, accountability, and operational excellence in physical security programs. Coordinates training initiatives to ensure workforce competency in security protocols and emerging technologies. Serves as a key advisor on physical security policy, compliance risk, and strategic planning to safeguard VA facilities, personnel, and assets. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm Position Description/PD#: Chief of Police/PD00215A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: May be Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
What you need to qualify
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 08/13/2026. Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-13 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-12. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. You may qualify based on your experience as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-12 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Provides strategic leadership and operational oversight for multiple organizational units within the service line, ensuring alignment with enterprise objectives and directives from senior leadership; Guides subordinate managers and supervisors in implementing policies, procedures, and performance standards that support mission priorities and service delivery goals; Serves as the escalation point for complex employee relations issues, providing guidance on corrective actions and reviewing proposed disciplinary measures for compliance and appropriateness; Manages operations during emergencies, due to natural or man-made causes, for facilities affected, and oversee plans and actions required to ensure law enforcement and security operations are maintained and Ensures the development of plans for the protection of VA facilities threatened by civil disturbances, mob demonstrations, riot, or other commotion across the area's catchment. Driver's License Requirement: Applicants must possess a valid, unrestricted State driver's license, have a safe driving record, and demonstrate that he or she is medically qualified to operate the appropriate motor vehicle safely. Applicants are required to pass agency Government Vehicle Drivers physical examination. NOTE: We cannot accept photographs, therefore; please do not submit a copy of your driver's license with your application package. If an interview is requested, you may be required to provide a copy of your valid state-issued driver's license. Firearm Requirement: VA Police Officers are required to carry agency-approved firearms while on duty on VA property. Officers must achieve and maintain qualification/certification with the agency-approved firearms as condition of gaining and continuing employment as a Police Officer. Applicants must be able to possess firearms under the terms of the Gun Control Act of 1968, as amended (18 U.S.C. 922(g)(9). You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Accountability Customer Service Decisiveness Flexibility Interpersonal Skills Problem Solving Resilience Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. Physical Requirements: Much of the work involves on-site work requiring prolonged walking over flat and even surfaces, working in confined spaces, crouching, bending, crawling, standing, and climbing. The work requires outside exposure to all temperatures. Also requires moderate to arduous physical exertion and possible exposure to personal danger. ADDITIONAL POLICE OFFICER CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT: New VA Police Officers are required to attend an 8-10 week course at the VA Law Enforcement Training Center in Little Rock, Arkansas. Satisfactory completion of this course is a condition of continued employment. Designated Drug-Testing Position: Applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to an appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. Applicants will not be appointed to the position if a verified positive drug test is received. A medical examination is required. Prior to appointment, the person selected for this position must be determined physically fit by an authorized government physician to perform strenuous and physically demanding duties, which may include protecting citizens, taking suspects into custody using reasonable physical force in the face of physical resistance, and responding to situations requiring physical agility and quick and legally sufficient decision making. Also successfully pass a pre-employment medical examination (which includes, but is not limited to, vision, hearing, cardiovascular, physical, psychological exam, and mobility of extremities) given by an authorized government physician. This position may be subject to periodic incumbent examinations in the future. Applicants and employees must have the capacity to perform the essential functions of the position without risk to themselves or others. Applicants and employees must possess emotional and mental stability. A psychological examination is required. In most instances, a specific medical condition or impairment will not automatically disqualify an applicant or employee. A medical condition or impairment is disqualifying only if the condition, for good medical reason, precludes assignment to or warrants restriction from the duties of the specific position. For some positions, the loss or impairment of a specific function may be compensated for by the satisfactory use of a prosthesis or mechanical aid. Reasonable accommodation shall also be considered in determining an applicant's ability to perform the duties of a position. A character investigation will be conducted on applicants selected for employment. The purpose of such an investigation is to secure evidence of the candidate's honesty, integrity, general character, and loyalty to the U.S. Government. As a condition of employment, must qualify to be issued a firearm and semi-annually with assigned firearm, annually with an expandable Straight Baton (MEB), maintain a valid State or Commonwealth Driver's License and pass annual physical and psychosocial assessments. Applicants must be able to possess firearms under the terms of the Gun Control Act of 1968, as amended (18 U.S.C. 922(g)(9). For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.
Before you apply
Federal applications are different: your resume should be 3–5 pages and mirror the language of this announcement. Read our federal resume guide first — it's the #1 reason qualified people get screened out.
Don't miss the next one.
Get an email the moment a similar federal job opens — postings can close in as little as 5 days.