With the continued growth of the University of Tennessee and the increasing importance of public safety needs, UT Associate Vice Chancellor for Public Safety and Chief of Police Troy Lane is now solely associate vice chancellor for public safety.
Troy was named police chief in 2012 and served in the dual role since 2016. He has been the driving force behind many initiatives that have helped shape and grow every division of public safety. During that time, all areas of public safety—which include the UT Police Department, Environmental Health and Safety, the Office of Emergency Management, and Clery compliance, in addition to the needs of physical security and access control— have continued to grow. This transition allows him to step away from the day-to-day operations of running the UT Police Department and focus on the overall bigger picture of public safety.
Sean Patterson assumes the role of chief of police beginning today. He previously served as assistant chief and has been with the department since 2020. He was hired after his retirement from the New York City Police Department, where he served for more than 21 years. Sean has supported Troy during his years in the dual role and is well equipped to assume the position of chief, bringing a new age of leadership, experience, and professionalism to the department.
Please join me in thanking Troy and Sean for accepting these new responsibilities and their continued service to the university. More information about the transition is available on the Public Safety website.
Sincerely,
Allen Bolton
Interim Senior Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration