Former Baltimore Police officer pleads guilty to misconduct in office

Todd Karpovich, The Baltimore Sun on Aug 13, 2026

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 — A former Baltimore Police officer pleaded guilty to misconduct in office and will avoid jail time after admitting to wrongdoing involving sick leave, according to records from the Baltimore City Circuit Court.

Harrison Brandon will serve two years of probation, complete 120 hours of community service and pay $469 in restitution, which he paid in July, his attorney, Jerry Tarud, said Thursday.

Brandon, 38, was indicted in March along with Baltimore police Lt. Welai Grant and Sgt. Mark Rutkowski in a broader investigation into alleged manipulation of police timekeeping records.

Prosecutors accused Brandon of submitting fraudulent doctors’ notes on five occasions to obtain paid sick leave. He was also charged with felony theft, forgery and identity fraud.

Grant and Rutkowski were accused of logging hours they did not work to receive additional pay. Brandon resigned from the Police Department after he was notified of the investigation.

Tarud said his client accepted responsibility for his actions.

“A decision that Harrison made within a few seconds unraveled all of the hard work he put into his entire life,” Tarud told The Baltimore Sun. “With that being said, Harrison realizes his setbacks and has accepted full responsibility for his actions. He expressed his remorse yesterday to the court and was sincere in doing so.”

The investigation into the officers’ timekeeping records came amid concerns about overtime spending in Baltimore’s public safety agencies. Police overtime has cost the city millions of dollars annually as the department has faced staffing shortages and increased demands.

When the charges were announced in March, Baltimore City State’s Attorney Ivan Bates said manipulating time records amounted to theft from taxpayers.

“Our office has a duty to hold anyone who steals public dollars accountable,” Bates said at the time.

Brandon joined the Police Department in 2019. The most recent city salary data available for him, from fiscal 2024, showed he earned $55,808, roughly $20,000 less than his listed salary.

Rutkowski, a homicide sergeant, was accused of routinely clocking out early and late while receiving overtime. He also allegedly used a colleague’s computer credentials to cancel his days off and give himself additional “penalty pay,” according to the indictment.

Grant, who worked in the Southern District, was accused of failing to report for eight overnight shifts after being promoted to lieutenant while recording the hours on her timesheet and receiving pay for them.

Grant is scheduled to go to trial on Sept. 17, and Rutkowski’s trial is scheduled for Aug. 26.

-------------