Deputy Chief Charles Patton is Detective Amanda Rollins's former commanding officer and former Deputy Chief of the Sex Crimes Bureau in Atlanta.
Background[]
During Rollins's time in Atlanta, Patton offered to bail her sister out of a check fraud charge if she slept with him. Rollins initially agreed, but when he began making advances, she withdrew her consent. He then overpowered and raped her. Rather than confront him, Rollins transferred to New York.
On SVU[]
He is first introduced when Rollins and Detective Odafin Tutuola came looking for rape kits in Atlanta related to a serial rapist in New York known as the Pattern 17 Rapist. Patton hand-delivers the rape kits to Rollins personally and there is an uneasy tension between them until Fin arrives. He mentions that if they can close three rapes on NYPD's dime that it's a win for everyone. Rollins calls him when they catch the Pattern 17 Rapist. As a female employee hands him a folder, he checks her out and later invites Rollins to a conference in New York in January, stating they still work great together. (SVU: "Pattern Seventeen")
Patton speaks at the conference and gives the false impression that Atlanta and New York detectives worked together to bring down the Pattern 17 Rapist. He then joins SVU, and talks about their city and how he regrets letting Rollins go while introducing them to his new protege, Detective Reese Taymor. They then depart for the night, at which point Patton rapes Reese. When an investigation is launched, Patton tries to cover his tracks when he goes down to SVU to talk to Deputy Chief William Dodds. He claims it was consensual sex and tries to blame Rollins for this investigation as he leaves. He is later arrested for rape at a restaurant with his colleagues and Patton tells Captain Sam Reynolds to call John Buchanan.
At a pre-trial luncheon, Buchanan offers to have Patton plead to disorderly conduct, but Barba refuses. During the trial, both Reese and Patton testify, with the jury believing both are credible. Rollins attempts to testify about her rape but is disallowed, and Patton has a panic attack during cross-examination. In light of his medical condition, Patton agrees to surrender his badge and plead guilty to sexual abuse in the third degree and serve probation and community service, as well as register as a sex offender for life. Barba only agrees if Patton does not seek employment in other law enforcement agencies and allocutes to the rape in open court, which Patton agrees to. He confesses to raping Reese and is sentenced accordingly. (SVU: "Forgiving Rollins")