Turnover of police chiefs is brisk, with the average tenure of a chief of police ranging from 4 to 6 years, but few scholars have examined factors which may impact police chief turnover. This study contributes to the literature on police chief turnover via an examination of the impact that two forms of performance—leadership performance and departmental performance—may have on police chief turnover. Analyzed herein are peer-evaluation survey data and administrative data obtained from the Law Enforcement Management Institute of Texas and the Texas Commission of Law Enforcement. Regression analyses of the data suggest that leadership and departmental performance are associated with turnover, with leadership performance having the larger impact. Time in office, being an external appointment/hire, and having been hired by a city mayor also proved to significantly affect turnover. The policy and personal life-choice implications of the data for police officials and policy makers are discussed, as are the methodological implications.
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