Baltimore Police Department

By Public Affairs Office
Monday, March 17, 2008; 7:00 pm

The Baltimore Police Department has played a defining role in Frederick H. Bealefeld, III’s life from the very beginning. With his grandfather, great-grandfather and great uncles on the force, it was a childhood dream of Commissioner Bealefeld’s to serve in the Baltimore Police Department. Commissioner Bealefeld became a police cadet immediately after high school in May of 1981. He has dedicated the past 26 years to preventing, reducing and solving violent crimes in the city.

Commissioner Bealefeld spent the first four years of his career walking a foot patrol in the Western District before being promoted to Sergeant in 1987. For 13 years as a Sergeant, Commissioner Bealefeld divided his work between the Southwestern District and the Criminal Investigations Division where he served in the Homicide Unit. Commissioner Bealefeld was promoted to Lieutenant in October of 2000, which marked his move to the Eastern District and into the Criminal Investigation Division shortly thereafter.

During the first two decades of his career, Commissioner Bealefeld was awarded three Unit Citations for his dedication to drug enforcement, gun enforcement and reducing the homicide rate. In 2001, the Homicide Unit was honored for its work in delivering the lowest murder rate the city had seen in a decade. Commissioner Bealefeld’s unit was also instrumental in a significant increase in the number of homicide cases cleared.

From December 2001 through August 2002, Commissioner Bealefeld was awarded four Bronze Stars for his work with the Major Case II in partnership with the DEA, Baltimore County, Harford County and the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office in arresting 37 individuals involved in the White Will Organization’s drug trade. During that time, Commissioner Bealefeld was appointed Major and then assigned to the Southern District in mid-2003.

The Commissioner’s ascent to the highest post in the Baltimore City Police Department came quickly thereafter with appointments to Lieutenant Colonel, Colonel and Deputy Commissioner in 2005, 2006 and 2007, respectively. On July 19, 2007, Commissioner Bealefeld was appointed Acting Police Commissioner by Mayor Sheila Dixon. He was nominated to fill that role permanently in October of 2007.

The Commissioner lives in Baltimore with his wife and two children.