Chestertown resident Pete Landon, a 25-year veteran of the Maryland State Police, was promoted to Lt. Colonel Landon and appointed chief of the Field Operations Bureau on August 11. He began his career at the Centreville Barrack after graduating from the police academy in 1985

Landon was born in Pittsburgh, Pa. and attended schools in Philadelphia and Quebec. After graduating from Beaconsfield High School in Montreal in 1978, Landon moved to Queenstown to attend Chesapeake College and earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Towson University. Early in his career, he served in the Training Division Drug and Education Units at both the Annapolis and Salisbury barracks, receiving numerous awards for exceptional job performance.

He continued to climb the ranks and held several command positions. In 2004, he became assistant chief of the Field Operations Bureau in charge of the Special Operations Division, the Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division and the Special Operations Division. He was promoted to major in 2005.

As chief of the Field Operations Bureau, Landon assumes command of the largest of the three Maryland State Police bureaus. The Field Operations Bureau encompasses all uniformed patrol troopers stationed at all barracks and specialized units such as the Aviation Command, Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division, Automotive Safety Enforcement Division and the Special Operations Division.