Safety & Security Manager

The Denver Public Library (DPL) isn't just a place to borrow books; it's a vibrant, essential hub for our diverse city. As a growing urban library system with 28 locations and over 4 million annual visitors, we're deeply woven into the fabric of Denver.

Join a team where your values align with your work. At the Denver Public Library, we're not just serving our community; we're building a culture guided by values that empower both our staff and the public. 

• Welcoming:  We make our resources, services, and expertise accessible for all, recognize the inherent dignity in each person, and provide safe places where everyone can be themselves.

• Curiosity: We foster a culture of exploration, innovation, and forward thinking by creating environments that support learning and growth.

• Connection: We are neighbors. We foster relationships, listen and act to build and strengthen our community. We bring people together to share information, ideas, and experiences.

• Equity: We work to change inequitable practices, structures and policies, and attitudes that drive them, to provide opportunities for every person in our community to thrive. As we do so, we actively examine our roles in perpetuating oppressive systems.

• Stewardship: We are accountable to our community, using our resources responsibly. We lead with honesty and integrity, protect privacy and preserve and share the full history of our Denver community.

If you're passionate about service, community engagement, and creating positive change, we invite you to explore career opportunities with us. Come join a team that believes in the power of knowledge, connection, and equity.

The City and County of Denver offers a competitive salary commensurate with education and experience. We also offer generous benefits for full-time employees which include but is not limited to:  

• Four (4) Medical Plans, Dental, Vision Insurance  

• Pension Plan for Life (employee contributes 8.45%, employer contributes 17.95%) and 457 (b) Retirement Plan  

• PTO (over 3 weeks in your first year), quarterly wellness hours, and 12 paid holidays

• CARE Bank, Family Leave Benefits  

• Enhanced Work/Life Balance: Employee Assistance Program (6 counseling sessions per year, legal assistance, financial counseling, discounted recreation center passes), Employee Volunteer Program

• Professional Learning and Development Opportunities; Courses and Career Development Resources ; Education Refund Program

• EcoPass (unlimited free RTD bus/train rides) 

• For more information please visit our website.

The Operations Division provides the critical infrastructure and support services that enable Denver Public Library to deliver on its mission effectively and sustainably. The division encompasses Finance, Information Technology, Safety and Security, and Facilities and Planning—each playing a vital role in ensuring organizational stability, resilience, and growth. Finance oversees fiscal stewardship, budgeting, and resource allocation to maximize impact and accountability. Information Technology drives digital transformation, system reliability, and data security to support innovation and efficiency. Safety and Security ensures a safe and welcoming environment for staff, customers, and community members through proactive risk management and emergency preparedness. Facilities and Planning manages the maintenance, development, and long-term sustainability of organizational spaces, ensuring they are functional, accessible, and aligned with future needs. Together, these sub-divisions form an integrated operational backbone that supports the Denver Public library’s strategic priorities and day-to-day excellence.

Denver Public Library is hiring a Safety & Security Manager to support a safe and secure environment for staff, customers, and the library’s assets. This is a critical role in taking safety, continuity of operations, and emergency preparedness to the next level in alignment with the library’s Strategic Roadmap.

The role will lead the functional and operational areas for the security and safety of our 28 and growing number of library locations. Critical success factors will be defined by ensuring there are appropriate resources available to resolve complex business issues; informing, creating and maintaining best practices for safety and security; and creating processes that ensure the accomplishment of performance standards. This role is critical in acting as an advisor and subject matter expert to Denver Public Library leadership on all safety, security and emergency management related matters. Leads the communication and implementation of the overall safety and security strategy for the organization.

• Leads planning and operations of the Security Department whose primary role is to maintain a safe and secure environment for customers and staff and to prevent asset loss. 

• Designs and implements a comprehensive safety and security program that safeguards people and stabilizes business operations. 

• Provides departmental oversight including the creation and modification of policies and procedures, creating and maintaining performance standards, budgeting, planning, and goal setting.  

• Motivates employees and offers a work environment conducive to excellent employee morale.  

• Enforces all library policies with specific focus on supporting staff and customers with the Library Use Policy, Child Safety Policy, and the Computer and Internet Use Policy. 

• Negotiates behavioral agreements with customers in violation of the Library Use Policy. Creates and maintains strong relationships with multiple City agencies including Denver Police and Fire Office of Emergency Management, Risk Management as well as with the community and all staff. 

• Communicates effectively about issues and initiatives with customers, staff, volunteers and administration, working especially closely with the library’s Community Resources and other key Public Services teams. 

• Reviews and investigates major security incidents and makes recommendations for actions to prevent, mitigate or lessen the organizational risks now and in the future. 

• Develops and implements emergency preparedness, response and continuity of operations plans. 

• Conducts drills to prepare library employees. 

• Conducts audits, studies and/or research projects, within the scope of the functional area, prepares comprehensive reports that reflect findings and conclusions; recommends feasible solutions in areas that require attention or change, and implements approved recommendations.

• Oversees and monitors the safety and security incident reporting system.

• Develops and tracks a dashboard of security and safety-related key performance indicators.  

• Maintains and utilizes data in the incident reporting system to make decisions and to forecast future security trends by location, including the optimization of security personnel for the organization.

• Conducts and/or provides support for ongoing safety and security audits. Utilizes and generates reports from industry technology platforms.

•  Facilitates the safety committee meetings with DPL stakeholders. 

• Assists with the disaster recovery plan by collaborating with the Director of Facilities and Capital Planning, updating plans and leading periodic table top drills to test the plan. 

• Maintains a thorough knowledge of non-violent crisis intervention and de-escalation techniques. 

• Education requirement: Bachelor's Degree in a related field based on a specific position(s).

• Experience Requirement: Three (3) years of experience at the type and level of functional or operational management, which must have included management of professional individual contributors.

• Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice or a related field. 

• Knowledge of investigative practices and procedures and security dispatch centers.

• Knowledge of loss prevention, theft, search and Worker’s Compensation procedures.

• Knowledge of security and life/safety systems and programming.  

• Knowledge of laws and City ordinances pertaining to theft, disturbances, assault and vandalism. 

• Skill in exercising quick, mature and informed judgment in reacting effectively to emergency situations. 

• Skill in the documentation of incidents and personnel issues.

• Skill in reviewing and maintaining records.

• Training and/or certifications from the American Society of Industrial Security (ASIS), FEMA, and/or Disaster Recovery Institute, or other safety and security organizations

• Experience working in a public setting such as libraries, parks, or schools

• Experience with and knowledge of non-violent crisis intervention, public health challenges, and de-escalation practices

• Demonstrates commitment to Denver Public Library values of equity, welcoming, connection, curiosity, and stewardship

• Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) trained and/or experienced

The Denver Public Library's branches are the arms to the community—each a unique reflection of the dynamic, diverse communities we serve. At DPL, we pride ourselves on showing up and providing support whenever there is a need. 

While you may be hired for a specific location, please know that we are hiring with the expectation that at any time, you may be required to work at any one of our branches based on operational needs. This allows our staff to experience the full breadth of Denver's communities and ensures we consistently deliver the highest level of service across our branches.

Additionally, DPL employees may be redeployed to work in other locations or capacities to support core functions of the library system during branch closures or other emergencies. 

This position is based out of the Central Library in the Civic Center area of downtown Denver and parking is not subsidized by DPL.

Ensure that the 'Work Experience" section of the application is complete and contains all relevant work experience related to the position that you are applying for. Qualified applicants are encouraged to apply immediately. Job postings will close at 12AM on the posted ending date. If interested in this opportunity, please apply as soon as possible.

Offer of employment contingent upon successful completion of criminal history and employment verification.

All Denver Public Library employees must apply through their internal profile.

Ready to learn more and see how you can contribute? Visit us at denverlibrary.org and connect with our community on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn.

Job Profile

To view the full job profile including position specifications, physical demands, and probationary period, click here.

Position Type

Library Hiring Range

Target Pay

Agency

Assessment Requirement

The City and County of Denver provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, genetic information, age, or any other status protected under federal, state, and/or local law.

It is your right to access oral or written language assistance, sign language interpretation, real-time captioning via CART, or disability-related accommodations. To request any of these services at no cost to you, please contact [email protected] with three business days’ notice.

For information about right to work, click here for English or here for Spanish.