An increasingly complex andbroad investigation into Baltimore?s ticket-writing woes has city Inspector General Hilton Green assigning an employee in his office to work exclusively on the probe into allegations of fake tickets.
In a telephone interview Tuesday, Green said the employee detailed from the city?s parking enforcement agency was needed to complete the investigation that has widened to include new complaints.
“It is still ongoing, and there are many issues that need to be addressed,” Green said.
“We brought in a person to focus exclusively on parking issues.”
Green said his investigation has expanded to address problems with the city?s parking kiosks, as well as investigate additional complaints from motorists.
Since the probe began, Green said his office completed the investigations of roughly 67 complaints of unwarranted tickets, and now has an additional 20 cases to review.
“We don?t want people to feel if it was half-baked; the majority of people are satisfied with our efforts,” Green said.
The Examiner first reported several stories in October of area motorists who complained they had received illegitimate parking tickets in the mail ? including multiple tickets ? although the drivers claimed they were not parked at the location on the date or time specified. In some cases, drivers claimed they weren?t even in the city at all.
After a series of articles in The Examiner documenting more cases of motorists claiming they got bogus tickets, Mayor Sheila Dixon requested an investigation by Green.
The city?s Transportation Department admitted at least one agent had written bogus tickets. In December, Green suspended an agent ? identified only as H. West ? without pay. Green said Tuesday that there would be further action in that case soon.
