UNC Announces Next Police Chief

UNC has announced that David Perry will take over as the new chief of the university police and assistant vice chancellor.

Perry is taking over the permanent role from Jeff McCracken, who retired in July after more than 30 years in the university police department.

Interim Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz said in Monday’s announcement that Perry is a “recognized leader in law enforcement.”

Perry was most recently the chief of police at Florida State University.

“He has embraced community policing and has demonstrated success in building relationships between campus police and the community,” Guskiewicz said Monday. “Through my many conversations with him, I know he is looking forward to expanding that philosophy at Carolina and is committed to ensuring his department has access to the latest in law enforcement training, education, technology and professional development.”

The UNC Police department has drawn criticism from some in recent years after an undercover officer was discovered in a group of protesters around the Confederate monument on the campus known as Silent Sam. Police were also the target of complaints during ongoing protests after that monument was toppled last fall.

Perry, during his time at FSU, “introduced several new public safety initiatives,” UNC officials said in the announcement, including efforts to build relationships “between on-campus students and police on safety matters.”

Guskiewicz pointed to Perry’s experience handling of three hurricanes and a 2014 active shooter on campus while at Florida State.

“I am beyond excited to be joining the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill community,” Perry said in a university-issued statement. “It will take gentle restless effort from the entire campus community to move our department forward. I look forward to putting in the work needed to accomplish this important goal.”

Perry and the FSU Police Department were also scrutinized for the department’s handling of a sexual assault complaint against Heisman trophy-winning quarterback Jameis Winston.

Perry’s first day at UNC will be September 3.