BALTIMORE, MD – The Baltimore County Police Department has sworn in its first African-American police chief, Robert McCullough, during a ceremony at the Randallstown Community Center on Tuesday. The ceremony was attended by County Executive Olszewski and other officials, who praised Chief McCullough as a born leader.
Chief McCullough is a 35-year veteran of the department, having started as a cadet at the age of 18. He retired as Colonel and Operations Bureau Chief in 2021 before being appointed as the police chief. Throughout his career, he has held various senior leadership positions, including Bureau Chief of Criminal Investigations, Eastern Patrol Division Commander, Captain of the Wilkens Precinct, and the Department’s Homeland Security and Preparedness Commander.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Chief McCullough was responsible for managing contact tracing for the entire agency and serving as the liaison to the Health Commissioner. He holds a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science in Management from Johns Hopkins University and has completed formal education through the Police Executive Leadership Program at Johns Hopkins University, the School of Police Staff and Command at Northwestern University Center for Public Safety, and the Senior Management Institute for Police through the Police Executive Research Forum.
As a Baltimore County resident for over 30 years, Chief McCullough has extensive experience with the community he serves. His appointment as the first African-American police chief in the agency is seen as a significant milestone for the Baltimore County Police Department.