Donald Pomerleau
Encyclopedia
Donald Pomerleau was the police commissioner
of Baltimore, Maryland between 1966 and 1981.
by the International Association of Chiefs of Police
(IACP) in 1965 during the heat of the civil rights movement following the Watts Riot in South Central Los Angeles. Pomerleau declared that the Baltimore Police Department was amongst the nation's most antiquated and corrupt police forces which had practiced excessive force and had a non-existent relationship with Baltimore's large African American
community. To improve the department and prevent racial rioting, Maryland's governor and Baltimore's mayor then hired Pomerleau with a mandate to clean up the department. Under Pomerleau, restrictions on African American officers, who were previously limited to foot patrols, quarantined in rank, barred from patrolling in White neighborhoods, and given limited specialty assignments, were lifted in an attempt to fully integrate the department. Pomerleau remained one of the longest serving police commissioners of Baltimore holding that post for a period of 15 years, the longest tenure since Charles Gaither who held the post from 1920–1937.
Before going to Baltimore, Pomerleau had served as Chief of Police in Miami and in Kingsport, Tennessee.
Police commissioner
Commissioner is a senior rank used in many police forces and may be rendered Police Commissioner or Commissioner of Police. In some organizations, the commissioner is a political appointee, and may or may not actually be a professional police officer. In these circumstances, there is often a...
of Baltimore, Maryland between 1966 and 1981.
Biography
A former marine, Pomerleau was sent to investigate the Baltimore Police DepartmentBaltimore Police Department
The Baltimore Police Department provides police services to the city of Baltimore, Maryland and was officially established by the Maryland Legislature on March 16, 1853...
by the International Association of Chiefs of Police
International Association of Chiefs of Police
The International Association of Chiefs of Police was founded in Chicago in 1893 as the National Chiefs of Police Union. The primary goal of this organization was to apprehend and return criminals who had fled the agency jurisdictions in which they were wanted...
(IACP) in 1965 during the heat of the civil rights movement following the Watts Riot in South Central Los Angeles. Pomerleau declared that the Baltimore Police Department was amongst the nation's most antiquated and corrupt police forces which had practiced excessive force and had a non-existent relationship with Baltimore's large African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
community. To improve the department and prevent racial rioting, Maryland's governor and Baltimore's mayor then hired Pomerleau with a mandate to clean up the department. Under Pomerleau, restrictions on African American officers, who were previously limited to foot patrols, quarantined in rank, barred from patrolling in White neighborhoods, and given limited specialty assignments, were lifted in an attempt to fully integrate the department. Pomerleau remained one of the longest serving police commissioners of Baltimore holding that post for a period of 15 years, the longest tenure since Charles Gaither who held the post from 1920–1937.
Before going to Baltimore, Pomerleau had served as Chief of Police in Miami and in Kingsport, Tennessee.