Blue, who starts his new position on Dec. 1, will replace Brian Curran, who is retiring.
A 13-year veteran of the Chapel Hill Police Department, Blue has held the positions of assistant chief, captain, lieutenant, sergeant, patrol officer and crime-prevention officer in the community services unit. As assistant chief, he was responsible for the preparation of the department’s $12 million annual operating budget and oversaw the management of Homegrown Halloween and critical incident response.
Blue moved to Chapel Hill when he was 12. He lived on Elizabeth Street and attended Phillips Junior High School and Chapel Hill High School. He has a bachelor’s degree in radio, television and motion pictures from UNC and a master’s degree in public administration from N.C. State. He is president of the N.C. Police Executives Association and past president of Volunteers for Youth.
He’s also a marathoner and spent last Sunday running in the Outer Banks Marathon, finishing in 3:48.
“I look forward to continuing the work started by Chief Brian Curran to strengthen our agency’s community policing efforts,†Blue said. “The Chapel Hill Police Department is made up of outstanding men and women, and I am excited to lead them as we continue this important work.â€
Blue had placed second in an exhaustive nationwide recruitment and selection process back in 2007 for the replacement of then-Chief Gregg Jarvies. Although not selected for the position at that time, Stancil said that it was apparent that Blue had significant potential to advance into the role of police chief and that along with his credentials the new chief has a lifelong understanding of the Chapel Hill community and is committed to the department and its employees.
— Staff Reports