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Chief Melvin Biography

Patrick Melvin, Police Chief

After a nationwide search in 2006, Chief Patrick Melvin was selected and appointed the City’s first ever police officer as the Chief of Police.  That October, Chief Melvin retired as a police commander after 21 years of dedicated service with the City of Phoenix Police Department and began Chief of Police duties the very next day.  Chief Melvin was tasked with building, designing and forming a police department from the ground up.  Seven months after his appointment, the Maricopa Police Department had 21 full-time employees, a fleet of 21 vehicles and began weekday shift operations. 

Chief Melvin was a member of the Executive Board of NOBLE and was the national NOBLE “Law and You” coordinator. Chief Melvin was the 2003 NOBLE Recipient of a year long Executive Fellowship with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in Washington, D.C.  As a national subject matter expert on traffic safety issues, Chief Melvin travels the country presenting on the topic. 

In 2004, Chief Melvin was the recipient of the LULAC (League of United Latin American Citizens) Community Service Award for his involvement in traffic safety, child safety seat and seat belt issues, and he was the 2006 NOBLE Member of the Year for the “Doug Nelson” Arizona Chapter of NOBLE. 

In 2007, Chief Melvin was appointed to be a commissioner on the Arizona Commission on African American Affairs by Governor Janet Napolitano.  Chief Melvin received a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from Arizona State University, a Master of Education with distinction from Northern Arizona University, and the Certified Public Manager designation from Arizona State University’s College of Public Programs. 

An avid motorcyclist, Chief Melvin enjoys camping and motor sports with his family.  He and his beautiful wife Rhonda have three children.

Chief Melvin states, “ My vision for the Maricopa Police Department is to be a department that is ‘Proactive, Progressive and Professional.’  I bring a varied background  to the police department, which includes a love for community policing and a history of being responsive to the desires and the needs of the community members and stakeholders.

My view of community-based policing includes officers spending time within our community, for our community.  Interaction with the members of our community, business owners, and even our students, is essential for our department to be responsive to the community needs.”