THE JOB
WOMAN IN BLUE
Chris Haley , ’ 89 , finds satisfaction from decades of serving public safety .
BY VAL SKERKAVICH , ’ 17 AND BRANDON YU , ’ 16
THE EXPERIENCE OF WAITING in the lobby of the San Diego Police Department ’ s ( SDPD ) central station is unlike any other — there is a distinctly foreboding feel to the place , spoken mostly in the glances between patrons , an air of dark curiosity about the circumstances that bring people to interact with the law .
Which is what makes Christine “ Chris ” Haley , Warren ’ 89 , seem so out of place when she arrives to greet us — warm and cheery , like she ’ s inviting us to her home as we head upstairs to her office . Haley ’ s demeanor may be far from the classic hardboiled crimefighter , but just one conversation proves that this environment is exactly where she belongs .
Haley has worked at the SDPD ever since she graduated from UC San Diego with a degree in economics . Though she has never worked out on the streets , she has considerable knowledge about the many facets of crime . As the SDPD ’ s supervising data analyst , Haley provides officers with the crucial information they need to respond and properly protect our communities . For over 25 years , it ’ s been a career that aligns perfectly her core values and professional ambition .
“ I really wanted to help my community ,” Haley says . “ I grew up in San Diego [ and ] lived here pretty much my whole life . My parents both worked for the county . My boyfriend at the time , now husband , worked for the county . So public service is ingrained in what I believe in .”
THROUGHOUT HER TIME at SDPD , she has been tasked with everything from testing software programs for police officers to her current charge of leading the information services program . Haley is now organizing a total renovation of the department ’ s communication technology , while continuing to provide the vital statistics that benefit officers in the field and the public at large . In short , she ’ s improving how data analysis can help curb crime .
As one would expect with a career spanning over two and a half decades , Haley has seen the department undergo a considerable evolution . With a smile , she recalls the process of collecting data when she first started . “ I still have this ,”
52 TRITON | WINTER 2016