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Baltimore Police Officer Indicted for Falsifying Records to Avoid Calls
Just the facts
A grand jury in Baltimore, Maryland, indicted 30-year-old police officer Dequwan Houchins on four counts of false entry in a public record and five counts of misconduct in office. According to court documents, an internal investigation involving undercover surveillance over four shifts between April 8 and May 13 revealed that Houchins recorded eight false traffic stops. Investigators stated that Houchins logged false calls while sitting idle in his patrol vehicle or purchasing food, forcing other officers to handle his assigned service calls. Each false entry charge carries a maximum penalty of 12 years in prison and a $4,000 fine upon conviction. Baltimore Police Commissioner Richard Worley and Mayor Brandon Scott publicly condemned the alleged conduct following the announcement of the charges.
Why this is news
Baltimore City State's Attorney Ivan Bates announced a grand jury indictment against 30-year-old Baltimore police officer Dequwan Houchins. The officer is accused of entering false traffic stop reports into an electronic system while remaining idle in his patrol car to avoid responding to police service calls.
Sources
This summary is compiled strictly from the original reporting below.