Hagerstown Police Department (Maryland)

The Hagerstown Police Department is a full-service, 24/7 law enforcement agency serving a population of 43,527 (US Census Estimate 2020) in 12.56 square miles (32.5 km²) within the municipality of Hagerstown, Maryland, county seat of Washington County. Hagerstown closely borders Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Virginia.^[1]

History

Hagerstown Police Memorial

On May 24, 1824 the council created the modern Hagerstown Police Department.

There have been six line-of-duty deaths within the HPD.^[2]

Officer Charles E. Gall, EOW October 10, 1866
Officer Murphy E. Flory, EOW June 26, 1901
Officer John C. Middlekauff, EOW August 17, 1914
Chief of Police George W. Fridinger, EOW February 28, 1918
Officer Lynwood N. Vewcomer, EOW June 3, 1951
Officer Donald Ralph Kline, EOW December 13, 1975

HPD has had a total of 23 Chiefs of Police since 1867

1867 - 1870 .... William Freaner
1882 - 1893 .... D. Williamson
1893 - 1909 .... John E. Benner/Alexander John E. Benner (one source has Benner retiring in 1900.)
1912 - 1918 .... George W. Fridinger
1918 - 1931 .... Thomas H. Barber
1931 - 1933 .... J.J. Cassidy
1933 - 1937 .... Clarence G. Emmert
1937 - 1940 .... Carl H. McCleary
1940 - 1943 .... William H. Peters
1943 - 1946 .... Max M. Rickard
1946 - 1956 .... Jesse Bailey Brown
1958 - 1966 .... Blair P. Overton
1966 - 1968 .... Harold Kisner (Acting)
1968 - 1968 .... Grayson Wigfield (Acting)
1968 - 1972 .... Grayson F. Doarnberger
1972 - 1986 .... Clinton E. Mowen
1986 - 1993 .... Paul L. Wood
1993 - 1994 .... Robert I. Hart (Acting)
1994 - 1999 .... Dale J. Jones
1999 - 2000 .... Robert I. Hart (Acting)
2000 - 2012 .... Arthur Smith (Charles Summers, Acting while Smith was in Afghanistan.)
2012 - 2015 .... Mark Holtzman
2015 - 2016 .... Paul Kifer (Acting)
2016 - 2018 .... Victor Brito
2018 - Present .... Paul Kifer

Organization

Captain Paul “Joey” Kifer is Hagerstown's current Chief of Police .^[3]

The current headquarters of HPD is 50 N Burhans Blvd, Hagerstown, MD 21740. Before being renovated for law enforcement use, the building was the Western Maryland Railway Passenger Station.