CHAPEL HILL - On the morning of March 6, Chapel Hill police put out the word they were looking for a blue 2005 Toyota Highlander that belonged to Eve Carson, the UNC student body president killed a day earlier.

On the afternoon of March 5, between the time Carson died and when police asked for help finding the vehicle, a Chapel Hill parking-meter attendant tagged the vehicle for being illegally parked.

Employees in the parking services division, an arm of the town's finance department, did not know police were looking for that same vehicle in one of the biggest criminal cases in Chapel Hill's history. Police didn't find the vehicle until a neighbor reporter it some 24 hours after the parking attendant ticketed it.

"After the fact, we realized that was a hole," Police Chief Brian Curran said. "They didn't know, and they didn't communicate that to us. ... I think we should have gotten a press release to them as well."

Public officials are hoping a new Community Safety Partnership will improve communication among town departments and employees from Chapel Hill, Carrboro, Hillsborough and the Orange Water and Sewer Authority.

Across the jurisdictions, about 450 public employees in departments such as public works and recreation are learning how to spot crime, safety hazards, people in distress and even water-main breaks so their colleagues in with police, fire departments and OWASA can respond quickly.

"It really increases the number of eyes that we have on the road," said Curran. "These crews from these different departments are going to be the eyes and ears for us."

Non-emergency vehicles such as Chapel Hill Transit buses will feature "Community Safety Partnership" decals, alerting residents that drivers and other public employees can assist them.

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