Thomas Broadhead


Thomas H. Broadhead was chief of police of the Los Angeles Police Department for three months in 1909. A native of Kansas, Broadhead joined the LAPD around 1887, and he had previously been a member of the vice squad. He had been appointed by mayor Arthur C. Harper, and when Harper resigned due to a scandal and was replaced by mayor George Alexander, Broadhead was dismissed as chief and replaced with Edward F. Dishman. Captain Broadhead was indicted on bribery charges a week later, and acquitted in September 1909. After leaving the department, Broadhead went to work as a special agent for the Southern Pacific Railroad until 1924. He died in Los Angeles County, California in 1954.