Office of the Director of Police Staff

Michael J. Heidingsfield Director

Selected to begin in April 2011 as the Director of Police for The University of Texas System, Michael J. Heidingsfield was most recently the Senior Assistant Sergeant at Arms for Police Operations and Homeland Security for the United States Senate and held that position since August 2008.  In that capacity he directly oversaw the Senate’s preparations for security of its members, the protection of the Senate both as a complex of facilities and as an institution, the counter-terrorism measures employed to ensure enduring constitutional government and the overarching law enforcement and security measures necessary to guarantee public safety, continuity of operations and enduring constitutional government.  He has served as a senior participant and advisor for such National Special Security Events as the 2008 Democratic and Republican National Conventions and the 2009 Presidential Inauguration.

Vacant

Assistant Director

David Ferrero

Chief of Staff

Senior Police Inspector II

Since joining the UT System ODOP family in 2008, David has held the position of Inspector, Inspector II and Assistant Director ad interim.  This has allowed him to enjoy the joint responsibility for Basic Peace Officer and In-Service Academy training, conducting staff management inspections at the fifteen UT System institutions, coordinating criminal/administrative complaint investigations, performing executive protection duties for Board of Regents and other dignitaries and recommending best practice policy/procedure for System employees in areas including use of force, firearms, wellness/fitness. He is grateful to have shared knowledge and experiences through instructing law enforcement officers for over thirty years on a municipal, county and state level.

A native of San Antonio, David graduated from Sam Houston State University with a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice. From 1978 to 1984, he served with the Texas City and League City Police Departments as a Patrol Officer, Detective and Sergeant.  David instructed in area law enforcement academies and was recognized for excellence in presentations before the Grand Jury.

In 1984, David began employment with the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission. He held positions of Agent, Senior Agent Training Division, Sergeant, Lieutenant, Captain and Assistant Chief of Enforcement ad interim. His tenure included upper/senior management positions both at the Staff and Field level. Upon retirement in 2007, successes include development and implementation of both in house and outreach resources focusing on public safety with underage drinking and intoxication concerns, appearance and testimony in a variety of venues including Senate/House Committees and criminal/civil procedures, as a guest on national syndicated “The Sally Show” to explain underage-drinking initiative, and expert witness for the Commission in use of force trial.

David is a graduate of the Law Enforcement Management Institute of Texas Leadership Command College Class #50, holds a TCLEOSE Master Peace Officer Certification, recognized in the Texas Martial Arts Hall of Fame, member First United Methodist Church Round Rock, Eagle Scout, and active in Boy Scout Troop 157. David is married to Leesa and both are proud parents of four children.

Larry Bloom

Police Inspector II

Larry A. Bloom is a 31 year law enforcement and public safety practitioner with 27 of those years (1978-2001) dedicated to policing in Texas.  A career employee of the Arlington Police Department, Mr. Bloom served in a variety of criminal investigative roles during the course of his career including narcotics, vice, organized crime, general assignments, Major Case Squad, career offenders and the full continuum of other major case categories.  He is considered a subject matter expert in technical surveillance, covert operations and air operations in support of law enforcement.  Mr. Bloom is a licensed private pilot with an instrument rating.  He is experienced in bloodstain interpretation, electronic interception, clandestine methamphetamine laboratory investigations and interview and interrogation.
Mr. Bloom’s career at the Arlington Police Department was followed by an educational sabbatical in which he returned to college and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminal Justice and Criminology from the University of Texas at Arlington (summa cum laude) and a Master’s degree in Criminal Justice Administration (cum laude) from Norwich University.  Mr. Bloom returned to the practice of law enforcement in 2003 as a senior police officer with the Burleson (TX) Police Department, his home town, and then left in 2007 when selected through a national search to serve as the Manager of Public Safety and Code Enforcement for the Downtown Memphis Commission in Memphis, Tennessee.  In this role Mr. Bloom was responsible for the development of public policy and enforcement practices for the downtown and entertainment districts of Memphis which were plagued by disorder, order maintenance issues and quality of life offenses.  He drafted the first successful aggressive panhandling ordinance for the city, coordinated its enforcement with a mixture of public and private police, and instituted community policing and bicycle patrols which resulted in reductions in quality of life offenses in the Downtown Memphis core.  Mr. Bloom oversaw and managed a staff of twenty in this effort.
Mr. Bloom is an adjunct faculty member in the Criminal Justice program at the University of Phoenix, is married and has a son, Kelly, who is employed by the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office.  His wife, Karen, is a flight attendant as well as an established Dallas-Ft. Worth radio and voice personality.

Robert Gideon

Police Inspector II

Bobby Gideon began his career in  law enforcement with the Texas Department of Public Safety in 1981 as a Texas Highway Patrolman.   Bobby served in San Patricio County, Grimes County, Brazos County and Travis County in the THP.  Bobby spent 12 years as a Sergeant at the DPS Training Academy.  Bobby joined the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission in September 2007 and served as the Director of OPR and the Director of Training.   Bobby retired from the State of Texas with over 30 years of service. Bobby joined OPOP as an Inspector II in September 2011 and is assigned to the University of Texas System Police Academy.  Bobby is an adjunct faculty member of the Austin Community College Criminal Justice Department and has been served in that capacity since 1995. Bobby holds a B.S. degree in Education from Texas A&M University and holds a Master Peace Officer certification with TCLEOSE.  Bobby is married to Veronica Gideon, THP, Austin and has two sons.

Bobby Harper

Police Inspector II

Bobby Harper joined ODOP as an Inspector II in 2010. Bobby was formerly a Lieutenant with the Texas Department of Public Safety.  He served with DPS in various capacities including the Highway Patrol, Governors Security Detail, Intelligence Service, Special Weapons and Tactics Team and Internal Affairs.  Most recently, he was employed by the National Response and Rescue Training Center at Texas A&M University assisting with homeland security training and exercises.  Bobby is a tactical firearms/combatives instructor and a karate black belt. He is a TCLEOSE Master Peace Officer and is a graduate of the 190th session of the FBI National Academy.

Glen Koen

Police Inspector II

Glen Koen is a graduate of the University of Texas System Police Academy.  He began his career with the University of Texas at Austin Police Department and has served as an Instructor for the System Police Academy. His current responsibilities include Inspections, Training and Evidence Management.

Charles Patnode

Police Inspector II

Inspector Charles Patnode is currently assigned as the Training Coordinator for the UT System Office of the Director of Police. He oversees the in-service training for the UT System police officers and ensures compliance with TCLEOSE requirements. Inspector Patnode also teaches at the UT System Police Academy and specializes in Standardized Field Sobriety Testing, Basic Firearms and Patrol Rifle Operator. He spent almost eighteen and a half years at the UT San Antonio Police Department. While at UTSA, he spent 2 years as the Training Sergeant, 10 years as a Patrol Sergeant, 3 years as a Police Corporal, and 2 years as a Patrolman. During that time, Sgt. Patnode was an FTO, Bike Officer, and Instructor.  

Inspector Patnode was a graduate of the 57th UT System Police Academy in 1993. He went on to receive his Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice from the University of Texas at San Antonio in 1995. Inspector Patnode received his Basic Police Instructor and Standardized Field Sobriety Testing certifications in 2000 and 2001 respectively. He has also been certified as a Verbal Judo Instructor, Mobile Video Instructor, Firearms Instructor and Patrol Rifle Instructor.

Inspector Patnode has been teaching SFST throughout Texas as an adjunct instructor for TEEX and AACOG as well as for the UT System. He has certified several hundred police officers and cadets as SFST Practitioners since 2001. He has also conducted SFST Update training throughout the state.

Inspector Patnode is a competitive shooter in several disciplines. He helped UT San Antonio win the UT System Chancellors Trophy Pistol Match in 2002. Inspector Patnode is a member of the Single Action Shooting Society which focuses on shooting period correct firearms of the 19th century for speed and accuracy. He has competed and won in local matches as well as the State, Regional and National Championships. He has won four 1st Place National titles as well as one All American Title. Inspector Patnode has also medaled at the Texas Police Games.

Dan Raff

Police Inspector II

Dan Raff is a native of Austin, Texas.  He began his career with the UT Austin Police Department in 1977 as a patrolman, detective and patrol sergeant.  He has been a law enforcement trainer since 1981 and an Inspector with the Office of Director of Police since 1984. His expertise is in Traffic and Crash Investigation,  Arrest, Search and Seizure, Criminal Investigations and Firearms training.  Dan has regularly competed in matches with the International Defensive Pistol Association and the Single Action Shooting Society.  He is a NRA firearms instructor and SASS range officer.  He has medaled in firearms competition with the Texas Police Olympic games, Police Marksmanship Association and the Chancellor’s Trophy Pistol Match.  He served as the Academy Coordinator for the University of Texas System Police Academy and is now Chief Instructor and Cadet Counselor.

Paul Shepherd

Police Inspector II

Inspector Shepherd retired as a 30-year law enforcement professional from the Odessa Police Department in September of 2010. He was the supervisor of the Criminal Intelligence Unit after completing a 10 year assignment as supervisor of the Homicide Unit and the Crimes Against Persons Unit. He has served in the numerous capacities within the department including, Patrol Services, Community Relations, Training Division, Crimes Against Property, Crimes Against Persons Unit (homicide) and was also a Sergeant with the Internal Affairs Unit. He has over 23 years of intense investigative experience in violent crimes. He holds a “Masters Peace Officer” certification  as well as an “Instructor’s” with TCLEOSE.
He has approximately 25 years experience in crisis negotiations and responsible for the development, training, and implementation of a multi-agency negotiation response team at his former agency.    He is a 2007 graduate of the FBI’s “National Hostage Negotiation Course,” in Quantico, Virginia as well as a 2008 graduate from the Metropolitan Police  “National Crisis and Hostage Negotiation Course” in Hendon, England.  In each of these, he served as a mentor and student.  He has trained over 400 state, local, and federal officers in crisis negotiations and was utilized to train US military personnel in Hostage Negotiations and Hostage Survival, prior to their deployment to Iraq. 
In 2010, he received recognition from Director Robert Mueller, III for his negotiation efforts in face to face negotiations with prisoners and obtaining the safe release of two hostages during the Pecos Prison Riots of December 2008. In September of 2010, Inspector Shepherd was invited by the “Black Swan Group”  to participate in training the first Crisis Negotiation team from the United Arab Emirates.
In November of 2010, Inspector Shepherd was presented with a “Lifetime Membership Award” from the “Texas Association of Hostage Negotiator’s”  and in February of 2011, Inspector Shepherd was presented with an appointment as an “Honorary Texas Ranger,” to Company “E” of El Paso by Texas Ranger Captain Brooks Long.

Lydia Navarro

Administrative Associate

Lydia began her employment with The University of Texas as a clerk-typist at the UT Austin Police Department in October of 1981. She transferred to UT System Administration in January of 2001 to work at her current position for the Office of the Director of Police. 

Erica Wagner

Senior Administrative Associate

Erica began employment with The University of Texas as a clerk-typist at the UT Austin Law Library in April of 1982. After an eight-year break from UT spent administering workers' compensation claims for the University of California System, she returned to Austin and began work for UT System Administration in July of 1995 in the Office of General Counsel. In October of 2003 she moved into Operations and Support Services before assuming her current position with the Office of the Director of Police in July of 2010. In addition to being a Word guru, Erica has expertise in web page design and SharePoint.  She's an amateur costumer and loves all things crafty.