Pat has devoted his entire life to public service. Growing up working on the family farm alongside his parents, a postal clerk and a school teacher, Pat learned the value of hard work.

Following their example, he and his brother (who also now lives in Albuquerque) applied their own sense of integrity and community as Boy Scouts (Pat became an Eagle Scout at age 15) in their church, and in clubs and youth organizations in their small town outside of Atlanta.

With his unique combination of education and experience, he has become a leader in the law enforcement community and an advocate for the community at large.

He was serving as a police officer with the US Capitol Police in Washington, DC during 9/11, and served on the front line of the new fight against domestic terrorism.  His passion to help less fortunate communities in Washington led him to transfer to the Metropolitan Police Department where he served as a community-based policing officer in neighborhoods plagued by gangs, drug dealers and violence.  He worked with community leaders, government officials and families to facilitate change and target the criminals.  Using community-policing tactics, violence was sharply reduced and new services came back to the community.  His strong work ethic was noticed by others and he quickly joined an investigative unit and DEA task force targeting drug-related homicides.

Pat says that one of the most eye-opening experiences for him came during a detail to the city's Joint Operations Command Center. "There, I monitored crimes and managed emergencies happening throughout the city, in real time.  More importantly, I saw how effective crime fighting could be when we were able to focus new technology and traditional resources to identify developing problems and stop them before they took hold." In the center, he became an expert at using crime analysis software and other technology to identify crime patterns and offenders, and learned how to build coalitions between law enforcement partners and government leaders.

He brought those same ideas with him to New Mexico when he and his partner, Matt, decided to give into their passion for the beauty of the Southwest and moved to Albuquerque full-time.  Though he held the rank of police officer in Washington, he was recruited to join the UNM Police Department as a Lieutenant, serving as a watch-commander and division supervisor.  He took the lead in developing an entirely new Special Operations Division for UNMPD, using his skills as a team-builder and leader to build new partnerships with the community and Albuquerque law enforcement to share information and to collaborate on new public safety efforts.  He initiated new relationships with student groups, parent associations and faculty and staff groups.  To enhance the department's public image, and provide officers in the department with better working conditions, he led the initiative to offer staff more comfortable and durable BDU uniforms and redesigned the vehicle's cars to make them more easily recognizable and visible on campus.

When an unexpected budget crunch hit the department, he initiated innovative new patrol tactics, such as ATV and bicycle patrols, to keep officers on the street, while saving on costly fuel expenses. 

Along the way, his work and initiative were noticed by his fellow law enforcement leaders, and he was nominated as the youngest New Mexican to ever attend the prestigious FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia. 

Like many working adults in our community, Pat worked long hours during the day, and attended school at night and online, completing his Master's Degree in Criminal Justice from New Mexico State University. 

Because of his ability to build new bridges with the community, and within the law enforcement community, he has represented the police department and the Bernalillo County District Attorney's Office in the news and in the community.  Again, when budget cuts loomed, he went after new funding sources which brought $1.2 million worth of grant funding to the office to ensure that prosecution teams focused on drug-related violence and methamphetamine crimes could continue to function. With the District Attorney's Office, he continues to maintain close relationships with law enforcement and the public to make the criminal justice system more responsive to the community.

Today he serves on the Board of Directors of Albuquerque Metro Crime Stoppers and supports groups such as the 100 Club and 10-82 who raise money to help the families of public safety officers killed or injured in the line of duty.

He has been a member of the Fraternal Order of Police, Lodge 1, in Washington, DC.

His reputation has been one of "raising the bar" in organizations where he has worked.  The small town sense of community in which he was raised continue to guide him everyday. He has shown his willingness to open new doors to diverse communities and inspired new ideas, which bring real results. 

His diverse experiences in law enforcement led him to believe that communities can make a difference in law enforcement. He has strongly advocated for proactive police tactics that mirror community priorities in crime fighting.  Learn more about his ideas on our “Issues” page, and learn how you can join our campaign for community-led law enforcement on our “Join Us!” page!