Posted by: jbwachter@baltimorecountymd.gov

Original release (March 3, 2016 1:55 p.m.):

Raymond Landsman joined the Baltimore City Police Department in 1936. He had a successful career and retired in 1964 as a Lieutenant. Raymond started a Landsman family tradition in policing that is still going strong 80 years later.



Raymond’s three sons and a son-in-law followed in his footsteps. Jerry Landsman was the first of four Landsmans to serve as a Homicide Detective and retired as a Baltimore Police Lieutenant. Jack Landsman was an officer in the Northwest District. Regis Raffinsberger attained the rank of Major and became Police Chief in the City of Frederick after his retirement from the Baltimore City Police Department.



Jerry Landsman Sr had two sons that went into law enforcement. Jerry Landsman Jr, served in the Hagerstown Police Department and rose to the rank of Sergeant, before leaving for a career in the private sector. Richard Landsman was the first in the family to join the Baltimore County Police Department. He rose to the rank of Lieutenant and retired in 2015 after a career that spanned 35 years.



Jay Landsman Sr spent more than 20 years in the Baltimore City Police Department and was valued member of the Homicide Unit. His story in the Homicide Unit inspired a character in the David Simon book Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets and he was portrayed by actor Richard Belzer in the television series adaptation of that book. He retired from the Baltimore City Police Department in 1994 as a Detective Sergeant and started a new career with the Baltimore County Police Department. Jay Landsman Sr spent some time in the Baltimore County Police Homicide Unit and is currently a Lieutenant in the Pikesville Precinct.



The Landsman law enforcement tradition continued with Jay Landsman Sr’s children; Jay Jr, Janet, Joseph and Nicholas. Joseph Landsman has served in the Baltimore City Police Department for the last 15 years; some of that time as a detective in the Homicide Unit. He is now a Sergeant attached to an FBI Task Force. Nicolas Landman worked in corrections before joining the Baltimore County Police Department last year. Janet Landsman became the first woman in the Landsman family to become a police officer when she joined the department in 2002. She currently works in the Pikesville Precinct on the same shift as her brother, Nicolas. Their father works on the opposite shift.



Jay Landsman Jr started in the Baltimore County Police Department in 1995. During his career, he worked in the Homicide Unit just like his father did. In 2011, he was promoted to Captain and currently commands the Towson Precinct. Despite being the highest ranking Landsman, he describes being promoted to Sergeant on the same day as his father in 2004 as the highlight of his career.



Ashley Morales, Janet Landsman’s daughter, is the youngest of the Landsman police family and graduated from the Police Academy with her uncle, Nicolas, last year. She is currently working in the Parkville Precinct. Her father is a Sergeant in the Baltimore City Police Department.





Even with all off the rotating shifts and other responsibilities, the family still gets together every Sunday. The Landsman family’s involvement in law enforcement is likely far from over - Jay Landsman Sr has 13 grandchildren.