By MES Dispatch Staff
The Briefing
- Baltimore Police Officer Dequwan Houchins, 30, was indicted Friday on five counts of misconduct in office and four counts of falsifying public records after allegedly filing fabricated traffic stop reports for at least four months.
- Houchins claimed he was busy on numerous occasions to avoid accepting call assignments, forcing other officers to handle calls that would have been his responsibility, according to charging documents.
- An undercover investigation during four patrol shifts from April through May documented that Houchins reported nine legitimate stops and eight illegitimate stops, sometimes sitting idle in his vehicle or ordering food while filing false reports.
- Police Commissioner Richard Worley stated the misconduct affected other officers beyond Houchins’ performance metrics and emphasized the department’s commitment to accountability and accurate police activity data.
- Houchins faces potential imprisonment up to 12 years and a $4,000 fine if convicted; he has been suspended from police duties and placed on administrative leave.
BALTIMORE, MD — Baltimore Police Officer Dequwan Houchins was indicted Friday on charges of falsifying public records and misconduct in office following an investigation into reports that he fabricated traffic stop documentation for months to avoid responding to dispatched calls.
Houchins, employed by Baltimore Police Department for five years and assigned to the Northeast District, was charged with five counts of misconduct in office and four counts of falsifying public records, according to court records filed by State’s Attorney Ivan Bates.
Department officials received a complaint in December 2025 alleging that Houchins had been submitting false traffic stop reports through the department’s electronic system for at least four months preceding the complaint. The false documentation allowed Houchins to present himself as actively engaged in enforcement activities while avoiding assignment to dispatched calls.
Because Houchins reported false unavailability, other officers within the Northeast District were compelled to assume responsibility for calls that would have ordinarily been assigned to him, creating an added burden on personnel throughout the district.
A random departmental audit on December 2, 2025, identified traffic stops entered into the system by Houchins that contained no corresponding body-worn camera footage or other required documentation. The compliance bureau raised immediate concerns regarding the incident entries, which were forwarded to the department’s public integrity division for investigation.
In addition to the automated audit discovery, an anonymous complaint—believed to have originated from another officer within the department—prompted further scrutiny of Houchins’ reporting patterns.
Detectives conducted an undercover surveillance operation during four patrol shifts assigned to Houchins on April 8, April 15, April 21, and May 13. Each surveillance period lasted approximately two hours. During the four-day operation, Houchins reported nine traffic stops determined to be legitimate and eight stops that investigators could not verify as genuine law enforcement traffic interdictions.
Body camera evidence and electronic records established that Houchins was engaged in personal activities rather than law enforcement operations during times when he reported unavailability to accept dispatch assignments. On one occasion, Houchins was observed sitting idle in his patrol vehicle. On another instance, he was documented ordering a smoothie while claiming to be occupied with enforcement activities.
Police Commissioner Richard Worley stated that the misconduct extended beyond Houchins’ personal performance metrics. Worley emphasized that falsified police activity data created operational consequences for other personnel and compromised the accuracy of departmental records. “This burdens other officers with more calls for service,” Worley stated. “This is bigger than one officer trying to make his numbers look good.”
Worley noted that Houchins’ use of the electronic system rather than radio communication initially hindered detection of the false reports. Radio transmissions typically prompt nearby officers to respond and offer assistance on traffic stops. Houchins avoided radio communication specifically to prevent detection by colleagues.
The department’s compliance review process—which compares police activity data with body camera footage and dispatch records—ultimately identified the discrepancies that triggered investigation. Worley stated that the case exemplifies the importance of regular auditing and data integrity review protocols.
“This is exactly how accountability systems are supposed to work,” Worley stated. “We provide police activity data to the public daily because the people of Baltimore deserve accurate, transparent information.”
Reported traffic stops that Houchins entered into the computer-aided dispatch system will be removed from official police activity records, officials stated.
Houchins’ police powers were suspended, and he was placed on administrative duty following investigation completion. Houchins faces criminal penalties up to 12 years imprisonment and a fine of $4,000 if convicted on all charges.
Court records did not identify legal representation for Houchins as of the indictment filing.