Posted on 02/14/26
| News Source: FOX45
Baltimore, MD - Feb. 14, 2026 - Thousands of traffic tickets issued to Baltimore city-owned vehicles last year have added up to hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines, but most of that money has not been paid to the city, according to reporting by our media partners at The Baltimore Sun.
Vehicles driven by city employees racked up 4,088 traffic citations in 2025 totaling about $452,000, with speeding listed as the most common traffic violation for city agencies, the Sun reported. The majority of those citations were waived by the city.
“There seems to be an abuse of the system, abuse of the process,” David Williams, a taxpayer advocate, said.
Williams, who is president of the Taxpayers Protection Alliance, said the issue goes beyond lost revenue.
“The problem first is from a revenue standpoint, this is almost half a million dollars that's not going to the city. And there's also a public safety issue...what message are they sending to people saying they can go through red lights, they can speed without any repercussions?" he said.
The Sun reported Baltimore Police Department (BPD) vehicles accounted for more than 80% of the violations and more in fines than every other agency combined. BPD received 2,717 citations worth $373,585. The largest share of the department’s citations involved non-moving violations, but BPD also received 1,905 speeding tickets and 406 red-light violations.
“If you are a Baltimore Police Department employee, if you are a cop, going through a red light just to go through a red light just to get somewhere faster, and not in an emergency, that is abuse of the process...and that needs to be stopped,” Williams said.
We reached out to BPD. Spokesperson Lindsey Eldridge replied, saying in part, "citations are waived only when officers are operating with lights and sirens." Otherwise, Eldridge said, "officers must personally pay the fine and may face discipline under department policy."