FREDERICK, MD - The Frederick Police Department has a new Chief. Thomas Ledwell was approved by the Mayor and the Board of Alderman Thursday night.

Chief Thomas Ledwell has been working for the Frederick Police Department for more than 20 years.

"I came up here before I started here, my brother was a police officer 3.5 years or so before I started, so I came up and I would ride along with him," say Chief of Police Thomas Ledwell.

And that's how Ledwell says he got his first taste of patrolling.

Now, members of the department say they're happy to have Ledwell as their Chief and leader.

"He is very intelligent individual, obviously, he is very focused, and I believe throughout his experience in the agency, he has a sound understanding what it means to guide an agency like the Frederick Police Department forward," says Acting Chief Patrick Grossman.

The departments former Chief Kim Dine, lead the department for ten years.  Frederick Mayor Randy McClement says he's confident Ledwell will continue down, and help strengthen the path Dine helped pave.

"He's going to continue the community policing, Dine put into place. Tom brings some new thought aspects, so it's a little bit of the old, and a little bit of the new," says Frederick Mayor Randy McClement.

Ledwell started in 1992 in the patrol division, and was a Lieutenant for 13 years before becoming Captain in July. He says he's honored to now be Chief, and says he's proud to continue engaging with this community he's been part of for over two decades.

"I would like to capitalize on our strong ties with the community. I think we have an excellent relationship, we learned decade ago as police, we can't operate effectively without the support, cooperation and trust of the community," says Ledwell.

He is the Chief effective immediately.