The police director position is not tenured. In addition, the police director must report directly to the reigning government administration. Thus the advantages of appointing a civilian director over a police chief are increased accountability and perhaps superior performance. The erroneous selection of an ineffective police chief can plague a municipality for many years. A tenured chief is far more difficult to unseat if a situation arises that calls for his removal.
A director may be better suited to change a police culture that has become excessively politicized or even corrupt. Because a civilian director answers to the government, he becomes an extension of the administration. The political influence he wields in the police department may enable him to implement changes and overcome resistance from insiders. As an outsider, a police director may bring a more objective perspective to the department or one that is not colored by cemented loyalties to other officers.
The quality of police services, whether under a police director or chief, needs to be assessed on a case-by-case basis, according to Wayne Fisher, director of the Police Institute at Rutgers School of Criminal Justice. Law enforcement experts say that the impact a police director has on a department versus that of a police chief depends on the individual and not the position.
In contrast to a police chief, who may be more dedicated to the welfare of his police force, a civilian director may be more sensitized to the needs of the community.
The selection of a police director draws upon a much larger pool of candidates than a police chief. Time spent in the police department takes a back seat to other qualifications, such as managerial expertise and an outstanding record in law enforcement. The appointment of a police chief typically draws from a handful of candidates who have managed to pass a test.