Steven C. Patterson

Steve Patterson, a Tucson native, was named Interim Chief Safety Officer at the University of Arizona in April 2023. His work with the University began in late 2022, when he was asked to assist with safety enhancements, as an independent contractor.

Patterson is a recently retired FBI agent who previously served as the Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Tucson Resident Agency. In this role, he managed a team of close to 200 employees and a multi-million-dollar budget which supported of all FBI Tucson operations including physical and information security, crisis response, counterterrorism, criminal investigations, and administrative management. He led numerous tactical training programs to increase connections to and visibility with local law enforcement and community partners, resulting in regular interactions that generated new cases and new collaborations for problem resolutions. Patterson was the 2021 recipient of the United States Attorney General’s Excellence in Law Enforcement award.

Patterson started his FBI career as an agent in San Francisco, where he investigated and supported the prosecution of violent crime and narcotics trafficking. He earned a Commendation from Mayor of San Francisco in 2005 for leading a multi-agency investigation that identified and secured convictions of more than 40 violent gang members.

Patterson received countless promotions and was selected to serve as a Unit Chief at FBI Headquarters in Washington, D.C. In this position he successfully transitioned the unit through a reorganization in a short period of time. He led a diversified team who were tasked with identifying and disrupting criminal activity of transnational organized crime suspects, regularly briefed senior leadership on highly sensitive domestic and international operations, and managed an operational budget of more than $20 million.

After 24 years of dedicated service, Patterson retired from the FBI in 2022. His educational background includes a B.A. in Human Resource Management from Northern Arizona University and a Masters in Organizational Management from the University of Phoenix. He has completed cybersecurity courses and seminars from George Mason University and Carnegie Mellon University.