Donald Pomerleau was the police commissioner of Baltimore, Maryland between 1966 and 1981.
A former marine, Pomerleau was sent to investigate the Baltimore Police Department 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.[1] 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.[2] 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.[3] 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.[4] 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.[5] Before going to Baltimore, Pomerleau had served as Chief of Police in Miami and in Kingsport, Tennessee.
| Preceded by Bernard Schmidt |
Baltimore Police Department Commissioner 1966-1981 |
Succeeded by Frank Battaglia |