Goetz named acting police chief for UAF

April 5, 2016

Carla Browning

Steve Goetz has been named acting police chief at UAF and will take the helm June 1. He will replace Chief Keith Mallard, who announced his retirement earlier this year.

Goetz has worked for the UAF Police Department for nearly 20 years. He served 3½ years as a patrol officer, 14½ years as the department investigator and the past two years as the deputy chief.

Goetz grew up in southern California. He attended college at the University of California Santa Barbara, where he received his degree in liberal studies. He served 11 years as an officer in the U.S. Army — 3½ years in the infantry and 7½ years in Special Forces. Goetz participated in the Troops to Cops program while in the military, receiving his law enforcement certification in Fayetteville, North Carolina.

He subsequently moved to Alaska and was hired by the UAF Police Department. He is married with four grown children, all of whom have attended or are currently attending UAF.