List of Commissioners of the Baltimore Police Department
# 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 |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| 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) | Department under United States Military control (June 1861–March 29, 1862) | Department under United States Military control (June 1861–March 29, 1862) | 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

| Order | Name | Name | Tenure start | Tenure end | Mayor(s) served alongside/under | Notes |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 19th | | Charles D. Gaither | 1920 | 1937 | | First solo police commissioner after disestablishment of board of commissioners |
| 20th | | William Lawson | 1937 | 1938 | | |
| 21st | | Robert F. Stanton | 1938 | 1943 | | |
| 22nd | | Halimon R. Atkinson | 1943 | 1949 | | |
| 23rd | | Beverly Ober | 1949 | 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 | John E. Gavrilis, Elbert Shirley, and Robert Smith rotated as interim police commissioners | John E. Gavrilis, Elbert Shirley, and Robert Smith rotated as interim police commissioners | October 1, 1999 | 2000 | Kurt Schmoke Martin O'Malley | |
| 32nd | | Ronald K. 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 July 8, 2015–October 19, 2015 |
| 39th | | Darryl D. DeSousa | January 19, 2018 | May 15, 2018 | Catherine Pugh | Interim commissioner from January 19, 2018–February 26, 2018 |
| — | | Garry Tuggle (interim commissioner) | May 15, 2018 | 2019 | Catherine Pugh | |
| 40th | | Michael S. Harrison | March 12, 2019 | — | Catherine Pugh Jack Young Brandon Scott | |

## Board of Commissioners membership (1850–1920)

### Timeline

Board of Commissioners composition (1850–1920) :

| 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 | William H. B. Fusselbaugh | Harry Gilmor John Milroy |
| March 15, 1877–April 12, 1878 | William H. B. Fusselbaugh | Harry Gilmor James R. Hebert |
| April 12, 1878–March 15, 1881 | William H. B. Fusselbaugh | James R. Herbert John Milroy |
| March 15, 1881–August 5, 1884 | George Colton | James R. Herbert John Milroy |
| August 5, 1884–February 25, 1886 | George Colton | John Milroy J. D. Furguson |
| February 25, 1886–June 25, 1886 | George Colton | John Q. A. Robson John Milroy |
| June 25, 1886–March 15, 1887 | George Colton | 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 | Edson M. Schryver | John Gil Jr. John Q. A. Robson |
| December 1, 1894–March 27, 1896 | Edson M. Schryver | John Gil Jr. John C. Legg |
| March 27, 1896–March 15, 1897 | Edson M. Schryver | 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 | George M. Upshur | 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 | John B. A. Wheltle | 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 | Daniel C. Ammidon | 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:

* 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)
* 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)
