Battle Creek police chief search: apply by Oct. 23 for first review

BATTLE CREEK, Mich. — Candidates who want first consideration in Battle Creek’s national search for a new police chief should apply by Oct. 23, the search firm running the recruitment says.

Chief Shannon Bagley announced in September that he will retire by the end of 2026 after more than 30 years in public safety, the city said in a Sept. 16 news release. The city hired Public Sector Search & Consulting to run a national search. City Manager Amanda Zimmerlin said the goal is to name a successor before year-end for a smooth handoff.

Bagley joined the Battle Creek Police Department as deputy chief of investigations in 2021, became interim chief in January 2023 and was named chief in June 2023. He also led the Fire Department on an interim basis from September 2024 through April 2026. He previously spent 25 years at the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety.

The department has about 119 authorized sworn positions and currently employs about 112 sworn officers plus about 18 civilians, according to the recruitment brochure posted by the Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards. It also provides contractual police service to Bedford Township. The posted salary range goes up to $154,000, plus benefits.

After the Oct. 23 review, the city expects community meet-and-greet events with finalists in November alongside formal interviews. Résumés, cover letters and references go to apply@publicsectorsearch.com. The position stays open until a final selection is made.

Sources:
City of Battle Creek, “Battle Creek Police Chief Shannon Bagley to retire; search underway for next chief,” Sept. 16, 2026, http://www.battlecreekmi.gov/m/newsflash/Home/Detail/2558
Public Sector Search & Consulting, Battle Creek Chief of Police recruitment, https://publicsectorsearch.com/recruitments/battle-creek-mi/
Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards, Chief of Police — Battle Creek job posting (PDF), Sept. 22, 2026, https://www.michigan.gov/mcoles/-/media/Project/Websites/mcoles/Job-Postings/September-2026/9-22-26_Battle-Creek.pdf
Photo: Jim Roberts, “Battle Creek City Hall 2.jpg,” Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/), cropped; derivative under the same ShareAlike license, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Battle_Creek_City_Hall_2.jpg

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