Chris Magnus

Senior Public Safety Advisor

   c.magnus@nyu.edu

Chris Magnus has joined the Policing Project as Senior Advisor for Public Safety. He has been a leader in policing and criminal justice reform throughout his law enforcement career spanning four decades. Magnus worked his way up the ranks in Lansing, Michigan, and then served as a police chief in cities as diverse as Fargo, North Dakota; Richmond, California; and Tucson, Arizona. Most recently, Magnus was appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate to be the Commissioner of Customs and Border Protection.

Chief Magnus built a reputation as an innovator in policing by implementing programs and initiatives that strengthened police-community relationships through creative approaches to outreach and engagement. He developed a sentinel event review process to examine and learn from significant police-related incidents with poor outcomes; implemented a nationally recognized model for police discipline based on procedural justice and accountability; developed model policies covering the use of force, pursuits, and other critical topics; and played a crucial role establishing a family justice center for victims of domestic and sexual violence. Magnus also served as President of the Child Advocacy Centers of California.

Chris Magnus appreciates that police officers are often not best suited to respond to many calls for service, especially those that involve homelessness, mental illness, and substance abuse disorders. As a chief, he worked extensively with elected leaders, service providers, and community members to build alternative strategies to address these needs. He also participated in ground-breaking research that examined how community members use 911, including how 911 call-taking and dispatching impact police response.

Chief Magnus has a master’s degree in Labor Relations from Michigan State University. He has also participated in continuing education programs through Harvard’s Kennedy School and the FBI. In 2020, he received the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) Leadership Award. Magnus lives in Washington, D.C., with his husband and their two dogs.