RELEASE: Mayor Pugh Replaces Commissioner Kevin Davis, Appointing 30-Year Veteran Darryl DeSousa as Baltimore’s 40th Police Commissioner

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT

Friday, January 19, 2018

Mayor's Office of Communication
410-215-3909 
amanda.rodrigues-smith@baltimorecity.gov

PRESS RELEASE

          Mayor Pugh Replaces Commissioner Kevin Davis, Appointing 30-Year Veteran Darryl DeSousa as Baltimore’s 40^th Police Commissioner

Baltimore, Md. - Asserting the need to reduce violence and crime in Baltimore City at an accelerated pace, Mayor Catherine E. Pugh today announces that Deputy Commissioner Darryl D. DeSousa will replace Commissioner Kevin Davis as the department’s 40^th police commissioner. Commissioner-Designate DeSousa will assume responsibility for the Police Department immediately. Following appropriate approvals, his appointment as Commissioner will be made permanent.

“As I have made clear, reducing violence and restoring the confidence of our citizens in their police officers is my highest priority,” said Mayor Pugh. “The fact is, we are not achieving the pace of progress that our residents have every right to expect in the weeks since we ended what was nearly a record year for homicides in the City of Baltimore. As such, I have concluded that a change in leadership is needed at police headquarters. I firmly believe that Commissioner-Designate DeSousa has the ideas, approach and demonstrated track record that will enable him to lead an accelerated effort to get criminals off our streets, reduce violence and restore safety – and peace of mind - throughout our neighborhoods. As one who has come up through the ranks, Commissioner-Designate DeSousa is widely respected by his fellow officers. Moreover, I have come to know him well during this past year given his leadership role in implementing the Violence Reduction Initiative and through our numerous other interactions. I am grateful to Commissioner Davis for all that he has done to implement the initiatives underway to address violent crime at it root causes. I speak for the entire community in expressing our admiration and gratitude for his service to Baltimore and for his leadership of the women and men who put their lives on the line to serve and protect our citizens.”

“I am deeply honored by the Mayor’s confidence in me at this critical time in the life of our City. Her relentless efforts to reduce crime and insist on new ways of collaborating across districts as well as with city agencies to target violence and its causes are invigorating certainly for me, but also for our entire force,” said Commissioner-Designate DeSousa.  “Baltimore has long been my home and I’ve spent my career on its streets and in its neighborhoods to address problems and bring about solutions that are meaningful for the people we serve. I am committed to this important work more than ever and look forward to validating the trust of Mayor Pugh, my fellow officers and most importantly, the citizens of Baltimore each and every day.”

Darryl D. DeSousa (53), a native of New York City, moved to Baltimore in 1983 and entered Morgan State University. He deferred completion of his degree in order to join the Baltimore Police Department in 1988, but eventually received his degree in Applied Liberal Arts in 1997. Officer DeSousa was appointed Detective Sergeant in the Northeast District in 2001, and moved to the Cyber-Crimes Unit, Organized Crime Division in 2003. He was appointed Lieutenant Shift Commander in the Southeast District in 2007, and Deputy Major, Assistant Commanding Officer of the Northeast District in 2008. DeSousa became Major, Commanding Officer of the Northeast District in 2011 and in 2012 was appointed Lieutenant Colonel, Area Commander of the Neighborhood Patrol Division.  He was appointed Colonel, Chief of Patrol, Neighborhood Patrol Division in 2013 and Deputy Police Commissioner, Administrative Bureau two years later. Notably, in 2016, Deputy DeSousa became a Visiting Fellow of the International Association of Chiefs of Police. In 2017, Deputy Commissioner DeSousa was assigned to lead the Patrol Bureau, the largest in the department, comprised of 3 divisions and more than 1000 sworn and civilian personnel.

A resident of Baltimore City, Commissioner-Designate DeSousa is the father of 2 grown children.

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