What I Needed From My City Manager

When I became chief of police, I understood the weight of command. What I did not fully understand- at least at first- was how much my effectiveness would depend on the relationship with my city manager.

A chief may lead the department, but in most municipal structures, the city manager holds the broader responsibility of governance, fiscal oversight, and political navigation. That relationship is not merely administrative. It is strategic. And when it works, the entire organization benefits.

Looking back, there are several things I needed from my city manager- some I received consistently, others I learned to articulate only over time.

First, I needed clarity.

Clarity about expectations. Clarity about priorities. Clarity about how success would be measured. Public safety can easily become reactive, driven by headlines or isolated complaints. A city manager who clearly defines the municipality’s strategic goals- whether growth, stability, redevelopment, or fiscal restraint- allows the chief to align operational decisions with broader civic objectives.

Second, I needed candor.

There were moments when political pressure reached the manager’s office before it reached mine. I did not need insulation from reality; I needed awareness of it. When city managers communicate openly about council concerns, citizen complaints, or emerging sensitivities, chiefs can respond thoughtfully rather than defensively.

Silence breeds surprise. Surprise breeds instability.

Third, I needed principled backing.

No chief expects blind loyalty. Accountability is part of leadership. But when a termination decision, disciplinary action, or controversial policy is legally sound and ethically justified, visible support from the city manager stabilizes the organization. Officers watch closely. They measure whether standards are truly institutional- or whether they shift under pressure.

Support does not mean agreement on every detail. It means unified governance once a decision has been properly vetted.

Fourth, I needed fiscal realism.

Public safety is resource-intensive. Staffing, training, equipment, and liability protection all require sustained investment. I needed a city manager who would challenge my requests- but also understand that deferring maintenance, delaying training, or freezing positions carries long-term consequences. Sound budgeting is not about saying yes or no; it is about understanding risk.

Finally, I needed access.

Regular, structured communication prevents minor issues from becoming major problems. Some of the most effective periods of my tenure were marked by standing meetings with the city manager- brief, focused conversations that aligned messaging and clarified direction. Governance is strongest when information flows consistently, not only during crises.

In return, I owed my city manager transparency, restraint, and professionalism. I owed accurate reporting, disciplined budgeting, and awareness of the broader municipal environment. The relationship is reciprocal. Chiefs who operate independently of municipal leadership create as much instability as managers who micromanage operations.

The chief- city manager relationship sets the tone for the entire organization. When it is grounded in trust, candor, and shared responsibility, the department operates with confidence. When it fractures, the consequences ripple outward- to officers, to council, and to the community.

If I could advise both roles today, it would be this: invest in the relationship before you need it.

Public safety leadership does not succeed in isolation. It succeeds in alignment.

Bibliography

International City/County Management Association (ICMA). ICMA Code of Ethics and Guidelines. Available at: https://icma.org/code-ethics

International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP). Police–Municipal Executive Leadership Relations. Available at: https://www.theiacp.org

U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office). Building Trust Between Police Leadership and Local Government Officials. Available at: https://cops.usdoj.gov

National League of Cities (NLC). Effective City Governance and Public Safety Collaboration. Available at: https://www.nlc.org

Walker, S., & Archbold, C. A. The New World of Police Accountability. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.