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The Dripby Brew Editors2:07 pmMay 4, 20220

IG investigates alleged DOT vehicle misuse and theft of city property

A DOT employee and supervisor are being disciplined for improper use of a city vehicle

Above: A Baltimore DOT supervisor acknowledged paying employees for completing various home improvement work on the supervisor’s properties, according to the Office of the Inspector General.

A supervisor at the Baltimore Department of Transportation “acknowledged paying DOT employees for completing various home improvement work on the supervisor’s properties,” the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) has found.

The OIG was unable to find evidence that city-owned property was used to complete these side jobs or was used for personal gain by the supervisor.

The investigation did, however, uncover four instances between May 2021 and July 2021 when a DOT vehicle was seen “in the approximate area of the DOT supervisor’s properties during work hours,” according to a synopsis of the OIG’s investigative report, released today.

In two of those cases, a DOT vehicle was spotted at one of the supervisor’s properties located outside the city. “However, the DOT supervisor claimed to have no knowledge as to why the vehicle was located near the properties,” the report continued.

Investigators said there was no documented driver listed on vehicle sign-out logs for three of the four instances – and in the one instance with the documented driver, the DOT employee “stated they did not recall why it was parked near the supervisor’s property.”

The supervisor acknowledged that employees within their division have signed out city tools and removed scrap materials for personal use. “These practices are no longer occurring,” the supervisor said.

Misuse of City Vehicle

In a response to IG Isabel Cumming, DOT officials said measures will be implemented to ensure that scrap lumber is not retrieved for personal use and that “recycled lumber, that is, lumber that can be reused shall, be secured” and properly accounted for with a Property Disposal Report.

As for the improper use of city-owned vehicles, Deputy Administrator Laetitia Griffiin said DOT “was able to determine there was a misuse of a city vehicle and discipline will be issued to both the employee and supervisor.”

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