List of commissioners of the Baltimore Police Department

Since 1920, the Baltimore Police Department has been led by a single commissioner. Prior to this, it was led by a multi-member board of commissioners.

Commissioners of the Baltimore Police Department

Presidents of the Board of Police Commissioners

Before 1920, the department was led by a multi-member Board of Police Commissioners. This board was led by a president.

Order Name Tenure start Tenure end Mayor(s) served alongside/under Ref
1stCharles Howard18501861
Department under United States Military control (June 1861–March 29, 1862)
2ndNicholas L. WoodMarch 29, 18621864
3rdSamuel Hindes1864November 15, 1866
4thJames YoungNovember 15, 1866March 1867
5thLeFevre JarrettMarch 1867March 14, 1870
6thJohn W. DavisMarch 14, 1870March 15, 1871
7thWilliam H. B. FusselbaughMarch 15, 1871March 15, 1881
8thGeorge ColtonMarch 15, 1881March 15, 1887
9thEdson M. SchryverMarch 15, 1887March 15, 1897
10thDaniel C. HeddingerMarch 15, 1897May 7, 1900
11thGeorge M. UpshurMay 7, 1900May 2, 1904
12thGeorge R. WillisMay 2, 1904May 4, 1908
13thSherlock SwannMay 4, 1908May 2, 1910
14thJohn B. A. WheltleMay 2, 1910April 4, 1912
15thMorris Ames SoperApril 4, 1912December 31, 1913
16thJames McEvoyDecember 31, 1913December 28, 1914
17thDaniel C. AmmidonDecember 28, 1914March 22, 1916
18thLawrason RiggsMay 1, 19161920

Police commissioners since 1920

Order Name Tenure start Tenure end Mayor(s) served alongside/under Notes Ref
19thCharles D. Gaither19201937First solo police commissioner after disestablishment of board of commissioners
20thWilliam P. Lawson1937July 31, 1938
N/aStephen G. Nelson (interim)July 31, 1938September 23, 1938
21stRobert F. StantonSeptember 23, 19381943
22ndHamilton R. Atkinson19431949
23rdBeverly Ober1949April 7, 1955Died in office.
N/aFred L. Ford (interim)April 7, 19551955
24thJames M. Hepbron19551961
25thBernard Schmidt19611966
26thDonald Pomerleau19661981
27thFrank Battaglia19811984
28thBishop Robinson19841987
29thEdward J. Tilghman19871989
30thEdward V. Woods19891993
31stThomas C. Frazier1994October 1, 1999
John E. Gavrilis, Elbert Shirley, and Robert Smith rotated as interim police commissionersOctober 1, 19992000
32ndRonald L. DanielFebruary 7, 2000March 29, 2000
33rdEdward T. Norris20002002
34thKevin P. Clark20022004
35thLeonard Hamm20042007
36thFrederick H. Bealefeld III20072012
37thAnthony BattsSeptember 27, 2012July 8, 2015
38thKevin DavisJuly 8, 2015January 19, 2018 Interim commissioner from July 8, 2015, to October 19, 2015.
39thDarryl De SousaJanuary 19, 2018May 15, 2018 Interim commissioner from January 19, 2018, to February 26, 2018.
N/aGary Tuggle (interim)May 15, 20182019
40thMichael S. HarrisonMarch 12, 2019June 8, 2023
41stRichard WorleyJune 8, 2023N/a Interim commissioner from June 8, 2023, to October 2, 2023.

Board of Commissioners membership (1850–1920)

Timeline

Board of Commissioners composition (1850–1920)
Time period President Other members
1850–1861Charles Howard
  • John W. Davis
  • William H. Gatchell
  • Charles D. Hinks
  • mayor an ex-officio member
June 1861–March 29, 1862
Department was under United States Military control. Board members appointed by the military authorities.
  • Thomas Kelso
  • John R. Kelso
  • Columbus O'Donnell
  • John W. Randolph
  • Joseph Roberts
  • John B. Seidenstricker
  • Archibald Sterling Jr.
  • Peter Sauerwein
  • Michael Warner
March 29, 1862–1864Nicholas L. Wood
  • Samuel Hinds
  • mayor an ex-officio member
1864–November 15, 1866Samuel Hindes
  • Nicholas K. Woods
  • mayor an ex-officio member
November 15, 1866–March 1867James Young
  • William T. Valiant
  • mayor an ex-officio member
March 1867–March 14, 1870LeFevre Jarrett
  • James E. Carr
  • William H. B. Fusselbaugh
March 14, 1870–March 15, 1871John W. Davis
  • James E. Carr
  • William H. B. Fusselbaugh
March 15, 1871–March 15, 1875William H. B. Fusselbaugh
  • James E. Carr
  • Thomas W. Morse
March 15, 1875–March 15, 1877
  • Harry Gilmor
  • John Milroy
March 15, 1877–April 12, 1878
  • Harry Gilmor
  • James R. Hebert
April 12, 1878–March 15, 1881
  • James R. Herbert
  • John Milroy
March 15, 1881–August 5, 1884George Colton
  • James R. Herbert
  • John Milroy
August 5, 1884–February 25, 1886
  • John Milroy
  • J. D. Furguson
February 25, 1886–June 25, 1886
  • John Q. A. Robson
  • John Milroy
June 25, 1886–March 15, 1887
  • John Q. A. Robson
  • Afred J. Carr
March 15, 1887–January 23, 1888Edson M. Schryver
  • Alfred J. Carr
June 25, January 23, 1888–December 1, 1894
  • John Gil Jr.
  • John Q. A. Robson
December 1, 1894–March 27, 1896
  • John Gil Jr.
  • John C. Legg
March 27, 1896–March 15, 1897
  • Jonh Gill Jr.
  • Daniel C. Heddinger
March 15, 1897–May 7, 1900Daniel C. Heddinger
  • William W. Johnson
  • Edison M. Schryver
May 7, 1900–March 23, 1904George M. Upshur
  • Edward H. Fowler
  • John T. Morris
March 23, 1904–May 2, 1904
May 2, 1904–May 4, 1908George R. Willis
  • James H. Preston
  • Thomas J. Shryock
May 4, 1908–May 2, 1910Sherlock Swann
  • Peter E. Tome
  • John B. A. Wheltle
May 2, 1910–April 4, 1912John B. A. Wheltle
  • Peter E. Tome
  • C. Baker Clotworthy
April 4, 1912–May 6, 1912
May 6, 1912–December 31, 1913Morris Ames Soper
  • Daniel C. Ammidon
  • Alfred S. Niles
December 31, 1913–December 28, 1914James McEvoy
  • Daniel C. Ammidon
  • Alfred S. Niles
December 28, 1914–March 22, 1916Daniel C. Ammidon
  • Clarendon I. T. Gould
  • Alfred S. Niles
March 22, 1916–May 1, 1916
May 1, 1916–1920Lawrason Riggs
  • Daniel C. Ammidon
  • Edward F. Burke

List of members by name

The following is a list of all of those who served as members of the former board of commissioners. Periods as board president are also noted in itallics:

Mayors that served as ex-officio members

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 Society, Baltimore Police Historical. "Commissioners". Baltimore Police Museum. Archived from the original on June 25, 2022. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
  2. ↑ "New Police Board Men Learn Ropes". The Baltimore Sun. April 8, 1912. Archived from the original on November 6, 2022. Retrieved July 3, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ↑ "New Boards In Charge". The Baltimore Sun. May 7, 1912. Archived from the original on November 6, 2022. Retrieved November 6, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. 1 2 "Lawson Quits Police Post 'Temporarily,' Until Sec Fraud Charges Are Heard". The Baltimore Sun. July 31, 1938. pp. 1, 9. Retrieved January 12, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ↑ Ames, C. Delano (September 23, 1938). "The Cops and Their New Commissioner". The Evening Sun. p. 33. Retrieved March 23, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. 1 2 "Ober Funeral Arranged For Tomorrow". The Baltimore Sun. April 8, 1955. pp. 33, 44. Retrieved December 25, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. 1 2 Hermann, Peter (September 25, 1999). "Commissioner emphasizes his successes". The Baltimore Sun. Archived from the original on November 6, 2022. Retrieved June 30, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ↑ Hermann, Peter; Shields, Gerald (March 30, 2000). "Daniel quitting as police chief; Mayor says the two could not agree on how to get job done; Daniel held post 57 days; Friction with mayor, outside consultants leads to resignation". The Baltimore Sun. Archived from the original on April 26, 2022. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
  9. ↑ "Baltimore police commissioner expected to be former Oakland chief - Baltimore Sun". The Baltimore Sun. August 27, 2012. Archived from the original on August 29, 2014. Retrieved July 9, 2015.
  10. ↑ "Why can't Baltimore solve its crime epidemic? - Baltimore Post-Examiner". Baltimore Post Examiner. March 13, 2014. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
  11. ↑ Graham, David A. (July 8, 2015). "Baltimore's Mayor Fires Her Police Commissioner". The Atlantic. Archived from the original on May 24, 2022. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
  12. ↑ Handore, Pratik (May 3, 2022). "Is Kevin Davis Based on a Real Person? Where is He Now?". The Cinemaholic. Archived from the original on June 12, 2022. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
  13. ↑ Cassie, Ron (October 20, 2015). "Kevin Davis Confirmed as New City Police Chief". Baltimore Magazine. Archived from the original on June 27, 2022. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
  14. 1 2 Rector, Kevin (January 19, 2018). "Baltimore Police commissioner Kevin Davis fired by Mayor Pugh, citing rising crime". The Baltimore Sun. Archived from the original on November 6, 2022. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
  15. ↑ "Darryl De Sousa Confirmed As New Baltimore Police Commissioner". WOLB Talk 1010. February 27, 2018. Archived from the original on November 6, 2022. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
  16. ↑ "Former Baltimore Police Commissioner Darryl De Sousa Sentenced to Federal Prison for Failing to File Tax Returns". www.justice.gov. March 29, 2019. Archived from the original on November 6, 2022. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
  17. ↑ Herring, Vanessa (May 15, 2018). "Acting BPD Commissioner Gary Tuggle says it's 'business as usual'". WBAL. Archived from the original on November 6, 2022. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
  18. ↑ Anderson, Jessica (March 12, 2019). "Michael Harrison sworn in as Baltimore's 41st police commissioner". The Baltimore Sun. Archived from the original on May 16, 2022. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
  19. ↑ Price, Lilly (June 8, 2023). "Who is Richard Worley, the new acting Baltimore Police commissioner?". The Baltimore Sun. Archived from the original on September 22, 2023. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  20. ↑ Sullivan, Emily (October 2, 2023). "City Council confirms Richard Worley as Baltimore Police Commissioner". The Baltimore Banner. Archived from the original on October 6, 2023. Retrieved October 2, 2023.
  21. ↑ "George A. Solter". Maryland Manual On-Line. Maryland State Archives. November 11, 2005. Archived from the original on December 4, 2022. Retrieved December 4, 2022.