# Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia

The Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia, generally simply referred to as the Chief of Police, is the head of the Metropolitan Police Department of Washington, D.C. The current acting Chief of Police is Pamela A. Smith, who succeeded interim chief, Ashan Benedict.

## History

In 1861, the Metropolitan Police Board unanimously chose one of its members, William Benning Webb, to serve as the first chief of the Metropolitan Police, the formal title at the time being "Major and Superintendent".
With effect from September 16, 1952, the rank and title of Major and Superintendent was abolished and replaced with the position of Chief of Police. Robert V. Murray would be the last Major and Superintendent and the first Chief of Police of the MPD, In 1953 Congress passed the District Government Reorganization Act, establishing a new Metropolitan Police Department with effect from June 26, 1953.

## Heads of the Metropolitan Police

The Metropolitan Police has a comprehensive list online of past and present police chiefs.

### Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department

| Name | Tenure | Duration |
| Pamela A. Smith (acting) | July 17, 2023 – Present | 1 year, 2 months and 19 days |
| Ashan Benedict (interim) | May 24, 2023 – July 16, 2023 | 1 month and 22 days |
| Robert Contee | May 4, 2021 – May 24, 2023 | 2 years and 20 days |
| Robert Contee (interim) | January 2, 2021 – May 4, 2021 | 4 months and 2 days |
| Peter Newsham | May 2, 2017 – January 1, 2021 | 3 years, 7 months and 30 days |
| Peter Newsham (interim) | September 15, 2016 – May 2, 2017 | 7 months and 17 days |
| Cathy L. Lanier | May 4, 2007 – September 15, 2016 | 9 years, 4 months and 11 days |
| Cathy L. Lanier (interim) | January 2, 2007 – May 4, 2007 | 4 months and 2 days |
| Charles H. Ramsey | April 21, 1998 – December 28, 2006 | 8 years, 8 months and 7 days |
| Sonya Proctor (interim) | November 25, 1997 – April 21, 1998 | 4 months and 27 days |
| Larry Soulsby | December 5, 1995 – November 25, 1997 | 1 year, 11 months and 20 days |
| Fred Thomas | January 8, 1993 – July 7, 1995 | 2 years, 5 months and 29 days |
| Isaac Fulwood | August 4, 1989 – October 30, 1992 | 3 years, 2 months and 26 days |
| Maurice T. Turner, Jr. | July 1, 1981 – July 26, 1989 | 8 years and 25 days |
| Burtell M. Jefferson | January 12, 1978 – June 30 1981 | 3 years, 5 months and 18 days |
| Maurice J. Cullinane | December 15, 1974 – January 11, 1978 | 3 years and 27 days |
| Jerry V. Wilson | August 1, 1969 – September 30, 1974 | 5 years, 1 month and 29 days |
| John B. Layton | December 1, 1964 – July 31, 1969 | 4 years, 7 months and 30 days |
| Robert V. Murray | June 26, 1953 – December 1, 1964 | 11 years, 5 months and 5 days |

### Chief of Police, Metropolitan Police

| Name | Tenure | Duration |
| Robert V. Murray | September 16, 1952 – June 26, 1953 | 9 months and 10 days |

### Major and Superintendent of the Metropolitan Police

| Name | Tenure | Duration |
| Robert V. Murray | December 1, 1951 – September 15, 1952 | 9 months and 14 days |
| Robert J. Barrett | July 1, 1947 – November 30, 1951 | 4 years, 4 months and 29 days |
| Harvey G. Callahan | February 1, 1946 – June 30, 1947 | 1 year, 4 months and 29 days |
| Edward J. Kelly | November 1, 1941 – February 1, 1946 | 4 years and 3 months |
| Ernest W. Brown | October 22, 1932 – November 1, 1941 | 9 years and 10 days |
| Pelham D. Glassford | November 16, 1931 – October 20, 1932 | 11 months and 4 days |
| Henry G. Pratt | April 1, 1929 – November 1, 1931 | 2 years and 7 months |
| Edwin B. Hesse | October 6, 1925 – April 1, 1929 | 3 years, 5 months and 26 days |
| Daniel Sullivan | February 11, 1922 – October 1, 1925 | 3 years, 7 months and 20 days |
| Harry L. Gessford | April 19, 1920 – December 1, 1921 | 1 year, 7 months and 12 days |
| Raymond W. Pullman | April 1, 1915 – February 22, 1920 | 4 years, 10 months and 21 days |
| Richard H. Sylvester | July 18, 1898 – April 1, 1915 | 16 years, 8 months and 14 days |
| William C. Moore | December 8, 1886 – July 12, 1898 | 11 years, 7 months and 4 days |
| Samuel H. Walker | July 1, 1886 – December 1, 1886 | 5 months |
| William McEntyre Dye | April 1, 1883 – June 30, 1886 | 3 years, 2 months and 29 days |
| William G. Brock | December 1, 1879 – April 1, 1883 | 3 years and 4 months |
| Thomas P. Morgan | February 2, 1878 – November 29, 1879 | 1 year, 9 months and 27 days |
| Almarin C. Richards | December 1, 1864 – January 28, 1878 | 13 years, 1 month and 27 days |
| William Benning Webb | September 1861 – November 1864 | 3 years, 2 months |