📅 Thursday, February 26, 2026 | 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
📍 119 W. Mulberry Street, Baltimore, MD 21201
RSVP to blackwallstreetbeenedetto.eventbrite.com
Presented by BMORENews.com & DMGlobal Marketing & Public Relations, LLC
Special Thanks to R. E. Harrington
A proud graduate of Baltimore City College High School, Commissioner Hamm joined the Baltimore Police Department in 1974. Over the next four decades, he built a career defined not by shortcuts, but by steady, principled advancement. He became the first African American officer to command the Central District — a historic milestone that expanded opportunity within the department for generations to follow.
Rising through the ranks from patrolman to SWAT Tactical Sergeant, Detective Sergeant, Lieutenant, Major, Deputy Commissioner, and ultimately Baltimore’s 36th Police Commissioner (2004–2007), Hamm earned something more valuable than a title: the respect of those he led. Officers who worked under him often describe a leader who never asked anyone to do what he would not do himself.
As Commissioner, Hamm managed 3,200 officers, 500 civilian employees, and a $291 million annual budget — overseeing patrol operations, detective divisions, organized crime, and homeland security. His leadership style emphasized accountability, preparation, and loyalty to the rank and file.
His commitment to public safety extended beyond City Hall. He served as Chief of Police for the Baltimore City Public School System, safeguarding 183,000 students across 187 schools. He later led campus public safety at both Morgan State University and Coppin State University, where he also taught as an adjunct professor of criminal justice — mentoring the next generation of public servants.
In 2015, he published his memoir, The Hamm Rules on Relationships, Leadership, Love and Community, sharing the principles that shaped his journey from Cherry Hill to Commissioner: discipline, faith, community, and love.
Baltimore Police historians frequently rank Leonard Hamm among the finest commissioners in the department’s history. But what truly distinguishes him is not the position — it is the path. A young man from public housing who rose through the ranks without forgetting where he came from, who led with humility, and who remained committed to community long after the badge.
Tonight, Black Wall Street proudly honors Commissioner Leonard Hamm — a Baltimore original, and a living example of leadership in action.
#BlackWallStreet #BMORENews #Benedetto25 #BaltimoreLeadership
