GLENDALE — Richard H. Black, the police chief of Glendale, has been recognized by his peers as an outstanding police chief.

The Missouri Police Chiefs Association has tapped Black as the 2009 recipient of the Donald “Red” Loehr Outstanding Police Chief Award.

Black, 65, has been with the Glendale police department 40 years. He has been chief about 23 years. The department has 12 officers.

The award is given annually to recognize a member of the Police Chiefs Association for a “demonstrated record of performance that exemplifies a high standard of dedication and service” to his community, department and law enforcement profession.

Black will receive the award Dec. 10 in Jefferson City.

Donald “Red” Loehr was with the Ballwin Police Department for 35 years and served as Ballwin’s chief from 1965 to 1996. In that time, Loehr received numerous awards including the Missouri Police Chiefs Association’s Police Chief of the Year Award. The organization later named the award for Loehr.

Loehr retired in 1996, after suffering a stroke. He died of a heart attack in 1997. He still is the longest-serving police chief in Missouri.

When the Glendale city leaders began the process in 1986 of selecting a new police chief, Loehr was one of the chiefs on the panel that screened the candidates and recommended Black for the job. “I’ve very honored to win an award that is named after Red,” Black said Tuesday.