Baltimore Police Oust Two Top Commanders

Move Follows Attacks Downtown, In Bolton Hill

Bealefeld also said that he has tasked the new internal affairs commander, District Maj. Nathan Warfield, who was appointed to the post this week, to identify and pursue officers who downgrade or fail to report crimes.

The department's chief spokesman, Anthony Guglielmi, declined to confirm accounts from the commanders meeting, but he said Bealefeld has had "a collection of concerns for a while" about the Central District. He said Bailey and Mackell will be "determining their future career options over the weekend."

The shake-up comes amid a period of relative stability among the Police Department's district leadership, which has been intact since Southwestern District Maj. Darnell Brock was forced out in September. Warfield's move this week resulted in new commanders for the Northwestern District.

Smith, who assumes control of the Central District, is a 22-year veteran whose experience includes an emphasis in patrol operations and commanding district detective units.

In a department news release, Edmund Skrodzki, executive director of campus safety and security for the Johns Hopkins University, said Smith is a "proactive crime fighter and has been overwhelmingly responsive to the needs of our neighborhoods."

Baltimore Sun reporter Peter Hermann contributed to this article.