Baltimore police officer loses pay amid suspension over viral crash video

Dan Belson, The Baltimore Sun on Nov 11, 2025

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

BALTIMORE — Robert A. Parks, the Baltimore police officer who was stripped of his police powers last month after a viral video showed him almost striking a man with his vehicle, is now suspended without pay, a spokesperson for the department confirmed Tuesday.

Other than saying that the sudden change was “in accordance with state law,” the department did not explain Tuesday why the officer’s status had switched nearly two weeks after he was placed into a paid administrative role pending tandem investigations. There were no open criminal cases filed under Parks’ name as of Tuesday afternoon, but the officer’s loss of pay could either be foreshadowing criminal charges against him, or a decision by the department’s top brass that a tougher emergency suspension was in the public interest.

Maryland’s laws on officer discipline — which Baltimore Police posted some of on social media in the wake of Parks’ suspension, after online outrage that he was still being paid — spell out certain conditions for when an officer can be suspended without pay. One reason would be that they are charged with a violent crime. Other misdemeanor charges can trigger a suspension without pay as well, if they involve “dishonesty, fraud, theft, or misrepresentation,” or are committed in the performance of the officer’s police duties.

Another provision states that pending an investigation and any disciplinary proceedings, a police chief can suspend an officer with or without pay if they find doing so “is in the best interest of the public.” Those emergency suspensions can last only 30 days.

The law also requires police chiefs to terminate the employment of any officer who is convicted of a felony, and allows them to fire officers convicted of certain misdemeanors.

The video recorded last month in Central Park Heights shows a group of young men speaking with Parks, with one of them stating that the officer had “no reason to stop” another. Parks, a five-year veteran of the Police Department, proceeds to calmly enter his car as one of the men starts to walk away down an alley.

Parks’ vehicle then turns onto the alley and accelerates, nearly striking the man as they both continue into a grassy area.

The chase continues with Parks driving erratically on surrounding streets and sidewalks in the surrounding area before the police vehicle is seen speeding down a dirt road and disappears off camera. A loud crash is heard, and Parks’ vehicle is seen at a standstill atop a chain-link fence in a backyard.

The video of the chase quickly went viral, prompting Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott to call it “deeply concerning” and Police Commissioner Richard Worley to say it was “not only disturbing, but alarming.” Baltimore State’s Attorney Ivan Bates also promised a “thorough and comprehensive” investigation by his office, which he said wouldn’t call Parks as a witness in other cases in the meantime.

_____