Neighborhood: Mt. Washington
Photography by Kirby Griffin
Listen:
“There are so many women that have come before me and that will come after me. Let me do my part while I’m here. Even if a person never knows my name or any sacrifice that I’ve made, just let me do my part while I’m here. That’s what I want people to know about me, that it’s not about the uniform, it’s not about the title, it’s about the other amazing people that I’ve had the opportunity, the pleasure and the honor to meet on this journey, that has made for me life in Baltimore better, because of their sacrifice and their willingness to share love even to a person they don’t know.”
-Sheree Briscoe
Deputy Commissioner Sheree Briscoe is a 27-year veteran of the Baltimore Police Department. She currently oversees the Operations Bureau, which includes the Patrol Division, Criminal Investigation Division and Data Driven Strategies Division. Deputy Commissioner Briscoe has risen through the ranks of the agency beginning as a patrol officer in the Western District. Most notably, she was appointed to serve as the Commander of the Western District three weeks following the Baltimore Riots of 2015. In one of her previous assignments, she was responsible for implementing community outreach and engagement, which directly affects relationship building and community policing. Named one of Baltimore’s Change Makers in 2016 by NBC News, Deputy Briscoe is known for her direct, compassionate and no-nonsense leadership that believes in improving communities and relationships one encounter at a time. Deputy Commissioner Briscoe is an FBI National Academy graduate of session #276 and a graduate of Coppin State University, where she earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice. Deputy Briscoe has been awarded various certificates and unit citations during her tenure to include: the Baltimore State’s Attorney Shield Award in 2016, the Equal Justice Partner Award in 2017 from Legal Aid Maryland, the Community Partner Award from Community Mediation Maryland in 2017, Public Safety Leadership Award in 2018 from the North Avenue Community Development Corporation, and the Torchbearer Award from The National Coalition of 100 black women in 2019.
Deputy Briscoe is the mother of four wonderful children (Sherae, Andrea, Ashley and Daren) and a grandmother of five beautiful granddaughters (Aniyah, Payton, Loghan, Harmoni and Kori). She and her husband Dante are proud residents of Baltimore City.
The Guardians is a photo documentary & storytelling project including photo portraits, large scale banners and digital archives that celebrate unrecognized Black female leaders across Baltimore City neighborhoods. This project provides a platform for women who spend their lives fighting for a better, more equitable Baltimore.
Creative Direction and Interviews by Whitney Frazier, WGF Studio