The Interview: Chapel Hill police chief Chris Blue

The Interview is an opinion page series featuring extended interviews of people who affect our community, written by members of the editorial board. Today, Maggie Zellner writes about Chapel Hill police chief Chris Blue.

If Chris Blue were part of an interrogating duo on “Law and Order,” he would be the good cop.

As I sat on the sofa in his office on a recent sunny afternoon, Blue explained to me that his primary aim as Chapel Hill’s Chief of Police is always safety.

This seems like a no-brainer. He is, after all, a policeman. But in a college town where students sometimes feel victimized by the enforcement of alcohol laws, this safety-first sentiment is significant.

Blue is quick to point out that drinking citations are not and have never been a source of revenue for the Chapel Hill Police Department. “I can assure you, that money isn’t going into our coffers,” he says with a chuckle.

Blue is more interested in finding innovative ways to maximize the resources available to his department. He sees potential in the data they have amassed over the years from 911 calls and other routine records.

An analysis of this data would likely highlight inefficiencies in CHPD’s current practices. For example, Blue says, they could reallocate patrolmen based on the timing, frequency and location of 911 calls. He gets excited just talking about it.

Blue explains, “It’s our interest — our obligation — to make use of the tons of information available to figure out the best way to use our finite resources.”

Blue’s capability as a leader comes through in this sort of big-picture thinking. He is not so consumed with the day-to-day concerns of running a police department that he fails to see areas for improvement.

Which is not to say he is disconnected from practical concerns. His approach to problem-solving is inclusive. He understands the importance of having his staff on board with his vision.

Blue’s vision for his tenure — the realization of the police department’s newly minted “strategic plan” — is inherently inclusive, thanks to the way the plan was created. Blue is ebullient when describing the collaboration involved in drawing it up: “Every good idea I’ve heard around here over the past five years is captured in that plan.”

And his methods are as inclusive as the plan itself. By making small, concrete changes in the short term, Blue hopes to build momentum and ensure everyone involved in implementing it is convinced of the plan’s long-term feasibility.

Despite some lofty thinking, Blue makes it clear he is no fool when it comes to the realities of running an office. He is laid-back, friendly and approachable; Blue’s demeanor reflects his years as a member of the force he now leads.

He also has an intimate familiarity with both UNC and the town, thanks to his years first as a student here, then as a resident.

This understanding translates into communication between UNC’s Department of Public Safety and the CHPD which Blue describes as “seamless.” Officers from DPS and CHPD train together, partner for special events and maintain strong, friendly relationships.

For his part, Blue makes a point of fostering close relationships with the UNC Deans’ Office as well as Chapel Hill town officials.

He has lunch regularly with Chancellor Holden Thorp and Town Manager Roger Stancil, ensuring the coziness between the rank and file of CHPD and DPS is supported by the close relationships of their superiors.

Blue’s attitude suggests that the buzzword which has figured so prominently in Thorp’s administration — “innovation” — made its way into one of their lunchtime conversations. Perhaps it did.

Either way, the point is that Blue’s priorities — analyzing data for more efficiency, collaborating to set goals, and connecting with the University and the community — speak to the same sensibility which has permeated the University since the onset of the economic crisis.

And his desire for others’ input — whether from his staff, community members or University officials — shows he knows he does not have all the answers.

What Blue does have is the ability to incorporate diverse perspectives into a cohesive approach to management and law enforcement. This cohesiveness exists because Blue and the people he serves, supervises and with whom he interacts share the same simple goal: public safety.