Jim Devlin joins James Groom for Part 1 of a 2 part conversation on leadership, accountability, culture, and the move from Police Chief to City Hall.

Jim serves as Assistant City Manager for the City of Hewitt, Texas, after nearly three decades in law enforcement, including more than a decade as Chief of Police. In this episode, he discusses dynamic leadership, correcting people without tearing them down, building trust inside an organization, and why culture matters in public service.

The conversation also covers Jim’s decision to move to Hewitt, the challenge of helping reshape an organization, the value of community connection, and how police leadership can prepare someone for broader municipal leadership.

00:00 Introduction to Jim Devlin

02:39 Dynamic leadership in law enforcement

07:00 Accountability and relationships

10:20 Correcting people without tearing them down

16:55 Taking on the challenge in Hewitt

23:04 Building community trust

26:10 Succession planning and leadership development

29:04 Culture fit in recruitment

32:02 Problem solving in local government

35:33 Moving from police chief to city hall

40:51 Part 2 Coming Soon Announcement

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Clear Career Professionals is a Texas based municipal executive search firm specializing in City Manager search services, municipal executive search, and local government leadership consulting for cities and counties across Texas and the United States.

Clear works with communities to recruit City Managers, City Administrators, Assistant City Managers, Police Chiefs, Fire Chiefs, Finance Directors, HR Directors, and other senior municipal leaders.

Clear partners with city councils, county commissioners, and public sector leadership teams seeking experienced municipal professionals who can guide growing communities, manage complex organizations, and deliver strong public service outcomes. 

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