Independence is officially shopping for a new top cop, and the search is going far beyond city limits. The city opened a nationwide recruitment Monday for a permanent police chief, set a hard application deadline of Aug. 17 and posted a salary range of $150,000 to $180,000. Interim Chief Doug Brinkley will keep running the department while candidates are screened, all against the backdrop of an outside operations review and nearly a year of churn since former Chief Adam Dustman resigned.
City hires national recruiter and sets timeline
City Manager Troy Anderson said in a news release that he issued a request for proposals and tapped Strategic Government Resources to lead the executive search. Anderson wrote that the city wants a chief who can rebuild trust inside the department, back officers with solid training and leadership, and keep strengthening ties with residents. According to the City of Independence, the selection process is expected to wrap up by late fall, with a new chief sworn in by October.
How to apply and public input
Applications will be accepted through Aug. 17, and the city is advertising pay between $150,000 and $180,000, depending on experience, as reported by KSHB. That same outlet reports that the city plans to host a public open house so residents and business owners can put questions directly to the finalists.
Background: leadership changes and an audit
The department has gone almost a year without a permanent chief. Dustman resigned on Aug. 15, 2025, after spending months on leave, and city officials ordered a targeted outside operations audit last fall. Local coverage of those moves has highlighted internal tensions that preceded Dustman’s exit, according to reporting by The Kansas City Star.
What the new chief will inherit
Even the basic size of the force depends on whom you ask. A city announcement and related reporting put the department at about 330 total staff, with more than 230 sworn officers. More recent local coverage, though, pegs the agency at roughly 200 sworn officers and about 95 civilian employees. Whoever gets the job will be expected to tackle morale, recruitment and training while steering a department that is still working through that outside review. Those figures come from city materials and local reporting by the City of Independence.
The City Manager’s Office says it will coordinate with the City Council, the Fraternal Order of Police and rank-and-file department members throughout the hiring process, and officials say they intend to take community input seriously while they vet candidates. Residents are encouraged to track the City Manager’s Office recruitment page for updates on the search and details on how to apply.
