A Baltimore police lieutenant who gambled with his career by allegedly falsifying hours while based at the Horseshoe Casino was arrested this morning on felony theft charges.
Police say they had investigators from their Office of Professional Responsibility look into Steven Bradshaw, a 21-year veteran of the force, while he was working at the South Baltimore gambling spot. Between April and May, they found he wasn’t showing up for his scheduled shifts and was forgoing documentation of days he took off and filing overtime hours that he didn’t work, according to department spokesman T.J. Smith.
“Instances like this jeopardize public trust of the police department,” said Baltimore Police Commissioner Kevin Davis in a statement. “Anyone who wears this uniform or works for this agency in any capacity should know that this type of behavior will not be tolerated.”
A release from Smith describes Bradshaw’s behavior as a “continuing and repetitive course of action” during those two months.
The city’s salary database shows Bradshaw made an annual base salary of roughly $106,000 last year, but made more than $170,000 in gross pay.
Asked exactly how many hours he logged and how much extra money he made during the course of the investigation, a department spokeswoman said only that “the investigation is ongoing.” The Sun reports it amounts to more than $8,600.
Bradshaw, 44, is charged with two counts of felony theft of between $1,000 and $10,000, as well as two misdemeanor counts of unauthorized removal of property. Court records didn’t list an attorney with his name.
Bradshaw was released today after posting $15,000 bond. His court date is set for June 27. In the meantime, he’s been suspended without pay, according to Smith.
The arrest comes nearly three months after seven Baltimore police officers who were indicted on racketeering charges were accused of defrauding the city by falsifying overtime hours, among other corrupt behavior.
In response, Mayor Catherine Pugh promised to audit the Baltimore Police Department’s overtime budget. City Council President Jack Young also said afterward that the city would cut into the department’s overtime reserves to help fill in a major deficit for Baltimore City Public Schools.
