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.

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

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

Board of Commissioners membership (1850–1920)

Timeline Board of Commissioners composition (1850–1920)Time periodPresidentOther members 1850–1861 Charles Howard John W. Davis William H. Gatchell Charles D. Hinks mayor an ex-officio member June 1861–March 29, 1862 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, 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 MilroyJune 25, 1886–March 15, 1887 John Q. A. Robson Afred J. CarrMarch 15, 1887–January 23, 1888 Edson M. Schryver Alfred J. CarrJune 25, January 23, 1888–December 1, 1894 John Gil Jr. John Q. A. RobsonDecember 1, 1894–March 27, 1896 John Gil Jr. John C. LeggMarch 27, 1896–March 15, 1897 Jonh Gill Jr. Daniel C. HeddingerMarch 15, 1897–May 7, 1900 Daniel C. Heddinger William W. Johnson Edison M. SchryverMay 7, 1900–March 23, 1904 George M. UpshurEdward H. Fowler John T. MorrisMarch 23, 1904–May 2, 1904 John T. Morris Thomas J. ShryockMay 2, 1904–May 4, 1908 George R. Willis James H. Preston Thomas J. ShryockMay 4, 1908–May 2, 1910 Sherlock Swann Peter E. Tome John B. A. WheltleMay 2, 1910–April 4, 1912 John B. A. Wheltle Peter E. Tome C. Baker ClotworthyApril 4, 1912–May 6, 1912 Peter E. Tome Morris Ames SoperMay 6, 1912–December 31, 1913 Morris Ames Soper Daniel C. Ammidon Alfred S. NilesDecember 31, 1913–December 28, 1914 James McEvoy Daniel C. Ammidon Alfred S. NilesDecember 28, 1914–March 22, 1916 Daniel C. Ammidon Clarendon I. T. Gould Alfred S. NilesMarch 22, 1916–May 1, 1916 Lawrason Riggs Alfred S. NilesMay 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: 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 ) John R. Kelso (June 22, 1861–March 29, 1862 ) 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 ) James H. Preston (May 2, 1904 – May 4, 1908) John W. Randolph (June 22, 1861 – March 29, 1862 ) Lawrason Riggs (March 22, 1916 – 1920) –president May 1, 1916–1920 Joseph Roberts (June 22, 1861 – March 29, 1862 ) John Q. A. Robson (February 25, 1886 – December 1, 1894) Peter Sauerwein (June 22, 1861 – March 29, 1862 ) John B. Seidenstricker (June 22, 1861 – March 29, 1862 ) Archibald Sterling Jr. (June 22, 1861 – March 29, 1862 ) 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) 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 ) 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