Within the selection of law enforcement personnel, the selection of a professional police chief is the single most important appointment by the local government manager. This handbook gathered search process experiences from managers, police chiefs, lawyers, Federal investigators, human resource professionals, and executive consultants to provide a road map for local government officials to follow as they consider the selection of their next police chief. The handbook is comprised of nine chapters that include: (1) the selection process; (2) the local government manager’s perspective on the search and selection process; (3) police chief selections from a police chief’s perspective; (4) a discussion of the selection process “from both sides,” the candidate and the appointing authority; (5) reducing the risk of litigation; (6) evaluating the candidates; (7) investigating the candidates; (8) employment contracts for police chiefs; and (9) the anatomy of a successful police chief search. Exhibits and appendices A and B (executive search firms and advertising outlets for police chief vacancy announcements)