Public Sector Search & Consulting

Public Sector Search & Consulting (PSSC) is a boutique, national executive search firm in the United States that specializes exclusively in recruiting police executives, including police chiefs. Their recruiters are former police chiefs with over 60 years of combined experience in policing and recruiting, providing deep expertise and understanding of contemporary law enforcement leadership needs.

Public Sector Search & Consulting operates as a specialized boutique recruitment firm with an exclusive focus on police executive recruitment across the United States. Founded and led by Gary Peterson, who serves as President/CEO and principal recruiter, the firm leverages over 30 years of public sector and executive recruiting experience combined with firsthand law enforcement leadership knowledge from Peterson's background as a former police chief in Martinez, California.

The company's approach centers on providing highly personalized service through customized search processes with a single dedicated recruiter serving as the primary point of contact. This boutique model allows them to serve a limited number of clients to ensure maximum responsiveness and tailored solutions for each engagement. Their recruiters bring the unique perspective of having served as police chiefs themselves, totaling over 60 years of combined experience in both policing and recruiting.

A distinguishing feature of PSSC is their strong commitment to diversity and inclusion in law enforcement leadership. The firm has achieved remarkable results in this area, with 60% of their placements coming from traditionally underrepresented groups. They actively work to remove barriers for diverse candidates and conduct targeted outreach with associations supporting women and police executives of color.

The firm's expertise extends beyond recruitment to include collaboration with city officials, police commissions, and advisory boards during the search process. This comprehensive understanding of the public sector landscape and the complexities of law enforcement leadership transitions sets them apart in the executive search market. Their services include both permanent executive placements and interim police chief placements to meet immediate organizational needs.