Patnaik is a 1985 batch Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram and Union Territory (AGMUT) cadre IPS officer.
A native of Odisha, Patnaik is an IPS office of AGMUT cadre and was holding charge as special commissioner (administration) in the Delhi Police when announced to succeed Alok Verma as the Commissioner.
Alok Kumar served the office for only an year. He took over the office from Bhim Singh Bassi, who served as Delhi Police Commissioner between July 2013 and February 2016.