Overview

Job Description

The Strategic Innovation & Solutions Architect for the Dallas Police Department proactively leads and supports activities to develop and manage a portfolio of technology solutions, including mission-critical systems (such as computer-aided dispatch, records management, and video management platforms), operational processes, shared infrastructure, and application services.

1. Translates operational and technical requirements from police department stakeholders into architectural blueprints aligned with public safety objectives.
2. Works closely with Central ITS, product owners, and project managers to ensure robust architecture that supports future operational needs throughout the life cycle of technology solutions.
3. Accesses the department's goals, current capabilities, and evolving requirements to design solutions that deliver tangible operational outcomes. Monitors technology portfolio to identify deficiencies such as outdated systems, legacy applications, or misalignment with the operational requirements of the police department.
4. Evaluates trends and disruptions in law enforcement technology, including advancements in artificial intelligence, analytics for crime forecasting, body-worn cameras, and public safety communications, as well as regulatory changes affecting data management and compliance (eg, CJIS standards).
5. Analyzes the law enforcement technology landscape and evaluates how innovations and market trends can be adapted to improve department-specific operations or address identified gaps.
6. Facilitates the evaluation and selection of software and hardware solutions, ensuring alignment with both department-specific needs and citywide standards, while managing total cost of ownership (TCO) and long-term sustainability.
7. Collaborates with the police department's leadership and operational units, as well as City of Dallas Information & Technology Services (Central ITS), to align technology initiatives with public safety objectives and ensure compliance with organizational IT governance.
8. Leads the evaluation, design, and integration of solutions critical to law enforcement operations, including but not limited to, surveillance and situational awareness systems, mobile data terminals, crime analytics platforms, records management systems, and computer-aided dispatch.
9. Develops a technology roadmap to modernize the department's enterprise solution portfolio, transitioning from current systems to future-state technologies that enhance operational effectiveness, data-driven decision-making, and community safety.
10. Acts as a technology consultant, advising on the selection, implementation, and optimization of platforms, tools, and vendor solutions tailored to public safety objectives and regulatory compliance (eg, CJIS).
11. Collaborates with Central ITS and project managers to ensure that implementation plans align with architectural designs and meet operational expectations across the project lifecycle. Provides consulting support to application architects within agile development teams, ensuring that all projects and systems are fully aligned with the department's overarching enterprise architecture and long-term strategic goals.
12. Collaborates with Central ITS to establish and enforce governance frameworks that prioritize compliance with citywide IT policies, law enforcement-specific cybersecurity protocols (eg, CJIS), and public safety regulations, while addressing the unique demands of police operations.
13. Supports a community of practice (CoP) by guiding and assisting agile teams, product owners, and other stakeholders to ensure alignment with enterprise architecture standards, emphasizing technologies critical to law enforcement.
14. Defines principles, guidelines, and standards tailored to law enforcement needs, such as scalability for public safety systems, interoperability with emergency response platforms, and adherence to future-state architecture goals that enhance officer and community safety.

• Knowledge of various backend and frontend development languages like Java, Go, Python, JavaScript, HTML, CSS and any other pertinent languages
• Expertise in various database technologies like SQL Server, MySQL, MongoDB and Oracle
• Deep understanding of law enforcement technology, ability to provide strategic direction, ensuring all solutions are secure, scalable, and meet the evolving needs of the department.
• Sound knowledge of relevant public safety, cloud, records management, and CAD systems
• Up-to-date knowledge of artificial intelligence/machine learning trends and technologies (AI/ML), and ability to evaluate, develop cost estimates and identify risks.
• Skill in data management with knowledge of various aspects of a technology architecture: integration, network and security, information principles and processes, IT standards and controls
• Knowledge of system development life cycle methodologies (such as waterfall, spiral, agile software development, rapid prototyping, incremental, synchronize and stabilize and DevOps).
• Excellent knowledge of IT service management (ITSM) and information technology infrastructure library (ITIL).
• Proven analytical, planning, organizational and technical skills, excellent written and verbal communication.
• Good understanding of product management, agile principles and development methodologies and capability of supporting agile teams.
• Excellent skill in developing architecture blueprints, strategies and roadmaps, and delivering presentations to senior-level executives and technical audiences.
• Organizationally savvy, with the ability of balancing long-term strategic goals with short-term operational needs and ability to navigate the complexities of police department hierarchy, municipal hierarchy, and interagency collaborations with tact and professionalism.
• Skilled at collaborating, influencing, guiding, and facilitating stakeholders and peers across diverse roles, including command staff, field officers, civilian IT personnel (Central ITS), external partners and developers to drive informed decision-making that enhances public safety outcomes and delivers integrated technology solutions that meet the complex demands of law enforcement.
• Ability to articulate new ideas and concepts related to emerging law enforcement technologies to both technical and nontechnical audiences, including sworn and civilian staff.
• Ability to propose and estimate the financial impact of solution architecture alternatives, including justifying costs for specialized law enforcement tools.
• Apt at quickly comprehending new technologies and assessing their relevance and application to law enforcement operations.
• Skill in remaining objective and maintaining an unbiased perspective toward specific law enforcement technologies while focusing on delivering measurable results aligned with department priorities.
• Displays intellectual curiosity and integrity, continuously exploring emerging technologies while maintaining ethical standards critical to public trust.

• EDUCATION
  Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Information Security, Cybersecurity or Data Analytics related field.

• Experience
  Five (5) years of experience in IT governance including systems architecture and analysis, infrastructure management and design, or IT consulting, preferably within public safety. Hands-on experience in different modeling languages (such as UML and ArchiMate) is highly preferred.

$89,442.77 - $111,803.46

The salary listed on this job posting is the starting salary range; amount offered will depend upon qualifications.

City of Dallas is an Equal Opportunity Employer.