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

 

Morris Ames Soper (president of the Board of Police Commissioners, 1912–1913)

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
1st		Charles Howard	1850	1861	John Hanson Thomas Jerome John Smith Hollins Samuel Hinks Thomas Swann George William Brown	^[1]
Department under United States Military control (June 1861–March 29, 1862)					John C. Blackburn John L. Chapman	^[1]
2nd		Nicholas L. Wood	March 29, 1862	1864	John L. Chapman	^[1]
3rd		Samuel Hindes	1864	November 15, 1866	John L. Chapman	^[1]
4th		James Young	November 15, 1866	March 1867		^[1]
5th		LeFevre Jarrett	March 1867	March 14, 1870		^[1]
6th		John W. Davis	March 14, 1870	March 15, 1871		^[1]
7th		William H. B. Fusselbaugh	March 15, 1871	March 15, 1881		^[1]
8th		George Colton	March 15, 1881	March 15, 1887		^[1]
9th		Edson M. Schryver	March 15, 1887	March 15, 1897		^[1]
10th		Daniel C. Heddinger	March 15, 1897	May 7, 1900		^[1]
11th		George M. Upshur	May 7, 1900	May 2, 1904		^[1]
12th		George R. Willis	May 2, 1904	May 4, 1908		^[1]
13th		Sherlock Swann	May 4, 1908	May 2, 1910		^[1]
14th		John B. A. Wheltle	May 2, 1910	April 4, 1912		^[1]^[2]
15th		Morris Ames Soper	April 4, 1912	December 31, 1913		^[1]^[3]
16th		James McEvoy	December 31, 1913	December 28, 1914		^[1]
17th		Daniel C. Ammidon	December 28, 1914	March 22, 1916		^[1]
18th		Lawrason Riggs	May 1, 1916	1920		^[1]

Police commissioners since 1920

Order	Name		Tenure start	Tenure end	Mayor(s) served alongside/under	Notes	Ref
19th		Charles D. Gaither	1920	1937		First solo police commissioner after disestablishment of board of commissioners	^[1]
20th		William P. Lawson	1937	July 31, 1938			^[1]^[4]
—		Stephen G. Nelson (interim)	July 31, 1938	September 23, 1938			^[4]
21st		Robert F. Stanton	September 23, 1938	1943			^[1]^[5]
22nd		Hamilton R. Atkinson	1943	1949			^[1]
23rd		Beverly Ober	1949	April 7, 1955		Died in office.	^[1]^[6]
—		Fred L. Ford (interim)	April 7, 1955	1955			^[6]
24th		James M. Hepbron	1955	1961			^[1]
25th		Bernard Schmidt	1961	1966			^[1]
26th		Donald Pomerleau	1966	1981			^[1]
27th		Frank Battaglia	1981	1984			^[1]
28th		Bishop Robinson	1984	1987			^[1]
29th		Edward J. Tilghman	1987	1989			^[1]
30th		Edward V. Woods	1989	1993			^[1]
31st		Thomas C. Frazier	1994	October 1, 1999	Kurt Schmoke		^[1]^[7]
John E. Gavrilis, Elbert Shirley, and Robert Smith rotated as interim police commissioners			October 1, 1999	2000	Kurt Schmoke Martin O'Malley		^[7]
32nd		Ronald L. Daniel	February 7, 2000	March 29, 2000	Martin O'Malley		^[1]^[8]
33rd		Edward T. Norris	2000	2002	Martin O'Malley		^[1]
34th		Kevin P. Clark	2002	2004	Martin O'Malley		^[1]
35th		Leonard Hamm	2004	2007	Martin O'Malley Sheila Dixon		^[1]
36th		Frederick H. Bealefeld III	2007	2012	Sheila Dixon Stephanie Rawlings-Blake		^[1]
37th		Anthony Batts	September 27, 2012	July 8, 2015	Stephanie Rawlings-Blake		^[9]^[10]^[11]
38th		Kevin Davis	July 8, 2015	January 19, 2018	Stephanie Rawlings-Blake Catherine Pugh	Interim commissioner from July 8, 2015, to October 19, 2015.	^[12]^[13]^[14]
39th		Darryl D. De Sousa	January 19, 2018	May 15, 2018	Catherine Pugh	Interim commissioner from January 19, 2018, to February 26, 2018.	^[14]^[15]^[16]
—		Gary Tuggle (interim)	May 15, 2018	2019	Catherine Pugh		^[1]^[17]
40th		Michael S. Harrison	March 12, 2019	June 8, 2023	Catherine Pugh Jack Young Brandon Scott		^[18]
41st		Richard Worley	June 8, 2023	—	Brandon Scott	Interim commissioner from June 8, 2023, to October 2, 2023.	^[19]^[20]

Board of Commissioners membership (1850–1920)

Timeline

Board of Commissioners composition (1850–1920)^[1]

Time period	President	Other members
1850–1861	Charles 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, 1862–1864	Nicholas L. Wood	Samuel Hinds mayor an ex-officio member
1864–November 15, 1866	Samuel Hindes	Nicholas K. Woods mayor an ex-officio member
November 15, 1866–March 1867	James Young	William T. Valiant mayor an ex-officio member
March 1867–March 14, 1870	LeFevre Jarrett	James E. Carr William H. B. Fusselbaugh
March 14, 1870–March 15, 1871	John W. Davis	James E. Carr William H. B. Fusselbaugh
March 15, 1871–March 15, 1875	William 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, 1884	George 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, 1888	Edson 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, 1900	Daniel C. Heddinger	William W. Johnson Edison M. Schryver
May 7, 1900–March 23, 1904	George M. Upshur	Edward H. Fowler John T. Morris
March 23, 1904–May 2, 1904		John T. Morris Thomas J. Shryock
May 2, 1904–May 4, 1908	George R. Willis	James H. Preston Thomas J. Shryock
May 4, 1908–May 2, 1910	Sherlock Swann	Peter E. Tome John B. A. Wheltle
May 2, 1910–April 4, 1912	John B. A. Wheltle	Peter E. Tome C. Baker Clotworthy
April 4, 1912–May 6, 1912		Peter E. Tome Morris Ames Soper
May 6, 1912–December 31, 1913	Morris Ames Soper	Daniel C. Ammidon Alfred S. Niles
December 31, 1913–December 28, 1914	James McEvoy	Daniel C. Ammidon Alfred S. Niles
December 28, 1914–March 22, 1916	Daniel C. Ammidon	Clarendon I. T. Gould Alfred S. Niles
March 22, 1916–May 1, 1916		Lawrason Riggs Alfred S. Niles
May 1, 1916–1920	Lawrason 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:^[1]

• Daniel C. Ammidon (April 4, 1912–1920) –president December 28, 1914 – March 22, 1916
• Alfred J. Carr (June 25, 1886–January 23, 1888)
• James E. Carr (March 1867–March 15, 1871)
• C. Baker Clotworthy (May 2, 1910–April 4, 1912)
• George Colton (March 15, 1881–March 15, 1887) -president March 15, 1881 – March 15, 1887
• John W. Davis (1850–1861; March 14, 1870–March 15, 1871) –chair March 14, 1870 – March 15, 1871
• J. D. Ferguson (August 5, 1884–February 25, 1886)
• Edward H. Fowler (May 7, 1900–March 23, 1904)
• John Gill Jr. (January 23, 1888–March 15, 1897)
• Clarendon I. T. Gould (December 28, 1914–March 22, 1916)
• William H. B. Fusselbaugh (March 1867–March 15, 1881) -president March 15, 1871 – March 15, 1881
• William H. Gatchell (1850–1861)
• Harry Gilmor (March 15, 1875–April 12, 1878)
• Daniel C. Heddinger (March 27, 1896–May 7, 1900) –president March 15, 1897 – May 7, 1900
• James R. Herbert (April 12, 1878–August 5, 1884)
• Samuel Hindes (March 29, 1862–November 15, 1866) -president March 29, 1862 – November 15, 1866
• Charles D. Hinks (1850–1861)
• Charles Howard (1850–1861) -president 1850–1860
• LeFevre Jarrett (March 1867–March 14, 1870) –president March 1867–March 14, 1870
• William W. Johnson (March 15, 1897–May 7, 1900)
• Thomas Kelso (June 22, 1861–March 29, 1862 appointed by military)
• John R. Kelso (June 22, 1861–March 29, 1862 appointed by military)
• John C. Legg (December 1, 1894–March 27, 1896)
• James McEvoy (December 31, 1913–December 28, 1914) –president December 31, 1913 – December 28, 1914
• John Milroy (March 15, 1875 – March 15, 1877; April 12, 1878 – June 25, 1886)
• John T. Morris (May 7, 1900 – May 2, 1904)
• Thomas W. Morse (March 15, 1871 – March 15, 1875)
• Alfred S. Niles (May 6, 1912 – May 1, 1916)
• Columbus O'Donnell (June 22, 1861 – March 29, 1862 appointed by military)
• James H. Preston (May 2, 1904 – May 4, 1908)
• John W. Randolph (June 22, 1861 – March 29, 1862 appointed by military)
• Lawrason Riggs (March 22, 1916 – 1920) –president May 1, 1916–1920
• Joseph Roberts (June 22, 1861 – March 29, 1862 appointed by military)
• John Q. A. Robson (February 25, 1886 – December 1, 1894)
• Peter Sauerwein (June 22, 1861 – March 29, 1862 appointed by military)
• John B. Seidenstricker (June 22, 1861 – March 29, 1862 appointed by military)
• Archibald Sterling Jr. (June 22, 1861 – March 29, 1862 appointed by military)
• Edson M. Schryver (March 15, 1887 – May 7, 1900) –president March 15, 1887–March 15, 1897
• Thomas J. Shryock (March 23, 1904 – May 4, 1908)
• George A. Solter (1910–1914)^[21]
• Morris Ames Soper (April 4, 1912 – December 31, 1913) –president May 6, 1912–December 31, 1913
• Peter E. Tome (May 4, 1908 – May 6, 1912)
• Michael Warner (June 22, 1861 – March 29, 1862 appointed by military)
• George R. Willis (May 2, 1904 – May 4, 1908) –president May 2, 1904–May 4, 1908
• John B. A. Wheltle (May 4, 1908 – May 6, 1912) –president May 2, 1910–1912
• Nicholas L. Wood (March 29, 1862 – November 15, 1866) -president 1850–1860
• George M. Upshur (May 7, 1900 – May 2, 1904) –president 1900-1904
• William T. Valiant (November 15, 1866–March 1867)
• James Young (November 15, 1866–March 1867)

Mayors that served as ex-officio members

• John Hanson Thomas Jerome (1850–1852)
• John Smith Hollins (1852–1854)
• Samuel Hinks (1854–1856)
• Thomas Swann (1856–1860)
• George William Brown (1860–1861)
• John L. Chapman (1862–1867)

References

1. Society, Baltimore Police Historical. . baltimorepolicemuseum.com. Baltimore Police Museum. Archived from the original on June 25, 2022. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
2. "New Police Board Men Learn Ropes". Newspapers.com. The Evening Sun (Baltimore). April 8, 1912. from the original on November 6, 2022. Retrieved July 3, 2022.
3. "New Boards In Charge". Newspapers.com. The Baltimore Sun. May 7, 1912. from the original on November 6, 2022. Retrieved November 6, 2022.
4. "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. "Ober Funeral Arranged For Tomorrow". The Baltimore Sun. April 8, 1955. pp. 33, 44. Retrieved December 25, 2023.
7. Hermann, Peter (September 25, 1999). "Commissioner emphasizes his successes". Newspapers.com. The Baltimore Sun. from the original on November 6, 2022. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
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". Baltimore Sun. from the original on April 26, 2022. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
9. Baltimore Sun (August 27, 2012). "Baltimore police commissioner expected to be former Oakland chief - Baltimore Sun". Baltimoresun.com. 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. 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. 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. from the original on June 27, 2022. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
14. Rector, Kevin (January 19, 2018). "Baltimore Police commissioner Kevin Davis fired by Mayor Pugh, citing rising crime". Baltimore Sun. 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. 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. 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. 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". Baltimore Sun. 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. 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". Baltimore Banner. 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. from the original on December 4, 2022. Retrieved December 4, 2022.