Chris Magnus was previously chief of police in Tucson, Arizona; Fargo, North Dakota; and Richmond, California.
19 Facts About Chris Magnus
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Chris Magnus is an advocate of community policing and of sanctuary cities and states.
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On November 12,2022, Magnus submitted his resignation to President Joe Biden, who was reported to have requested it days prior.
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Chris Magnus initially refused to resign and was threatened with termination if he did not.
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Chris Magnus's father was a faculty member at Michigan State University, an immigrant from Norway, and his mother a piano teacher.
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Chris Magnus is a graduate of the police academy at Lansing Community College and has a bachelor's degree in criminal justice and a master's degree in labor relations from Michigan State University.
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Chris Magnus began his police career as a dispatcher in the Lansing Police Department, and was a paramedic.
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Chris Magnus served as an instructor at the Mid-Michigan police academy.
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From 1999 to 2006, Chris Magnus headed the police department in Fargo, North Dakota.
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Chris Magnus became chief of the Richmond, California, Police Department in 2006.
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In late 2006, Chris Magnus, who is white, was sued for racial discrimination by seven high-ranking black members of the department.
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In December 2014, Chris Magnus was photographed holding a Black Lives Matter sign at a protest.
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Chris Magnus described the photograph, which was widely circulated and was disapproved of by many in the department, as happening spontaneously after a participant asked to take a selfie with him when he and his command staff were at the protest talking to people, and had sent out for pizza to feed the crowd.
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Chris Magnus became chief of the Tucson Police Department in January 2016, succeeding Roberto Villasenor, who was retiring.
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Chris Magnus has since been quoted in opposition to Arizona's 2010 laws against illegal immigration as complicating policing in the state.
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On June 24,2020, Chief Chris Magnus offered his resignation to Tucson Mayor Regina Romero, the City Manager, and Tucson City Council, following the death of a civilian while in the custody of Tucson Police.
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Chris Magnus was sworn in on December 13,2021, becoming the fifth Senate-confirmed commissioner of CBP.
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In October 2022, officials in the Biden administration complained that Chris Magnus was unengaged, missed White House meetings, failed to make relationships with other administration officials, and failed to address the rising number of border crossings.
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In 2014, Chris Magnus married his partner of many years, Terrance Cheung, then chief of staff to Tom Butt, the mayor of Richmond; this is thought to be the first time an openly gay police chief in the United States has married.