BALTIMORE, Md. – The Baltimore Police Department has fired Officer Robert Parks following his conviction in a 2025 incident involving Parks and a civilian, ending his employment after he had previously been suspended without pay during the criminal proceedings.
A judge found Parks guilty Thursday of second-degree assault, reckless driving and three counts of misconduct in office. The Baltimore Police Department said his termination followed the conviction and was carried out in accordance with Maryland law.
Police Commissioner Richard Worley said the department had considered the conduct unacceptable since officials first learned about the incident. “From the moment we became aware of this incident, I made it clear that what we saw was disturbing, and the conduct was not consistent with our standards or the expectations we have for our officers,” Worley said.
- Parks was convicted Thursday of second-degree assault, reckless driving and three counts of misconduct in office.
- Baltimore police said the criminal case stemmed from an Oct. 28, 2025, incident involving Parks and a civilian.
- Parks had been suspended without pay before the department announced his termination.
Baltimore Police Terminate Parks Following Guilty Verdict
The Baltimore Police Department announced Parks’ termination after the guilty verdict, saying the action was taken “following his conviction in the October 28, 2025, incident involving Parks and a civilian and in accordance with Maryland Law.”
The criminal case involved allegations that Parks used his police cruiser against a civilian. The judge returned guilty verdicts Thursday on all five counts identified by the department.
Robert A. Parks is a former Baltimore City Police Department officer who gained national attention after a viral video showed him attempting to run over a man using his police cruiser.
The Incident
- October 28, 2025: While on patrol on Wylie Avenue, Parks confronted a man whom he believed had an outstanding warrant.
- When the suspect refused to stop and walked away, Parks pursued him using his police vehicle.
- Body-cam and bystander footage showed Parks steering his patrol car onto lawns and sidewalks, striking the pedestrian, and ultimately plowing through a chain-link fence into a residential backyard on Sumter Avenue before his vehicle became disabled.
Parks had already been suspended without pay while the criminal proceedings moved forward. Baltimore police said the department separately conducted an administrative review during that period.
The conviction provided the basis for the department’s subsequent employment action. Baltimore police publicly announced that Parks had been terminated rather than merely remaining suspended while awaiting sentencing.
Commissioner Says Termination Reflects Department Accountability
Worley used the announcement to emphasize what he described as the department’s obligation to hold officers responsible when their conduct violates its standards.
“Today’s termination reflects our commitment to accountability and to ensuring that the men and women who serve this city uphold the law, our policies, and the trust placed in them by the community,” Worley said.
The commissioner added that the department would “continue to hold our officers accountable when their actions fall short of those standards.”
The case now moves beyond Parks’ employment status to the remaining criminal court process following his conviction. The material provided by the department did not specify his sentencing date or potential sentence.
Unlike a defendant who has merely been charged, Parks has now been found guilty at trial. Any subsequent sentencing proceedings, post-trial motions or appeal could determine the next stage of the criminal case.
Why did the Baltimore Police Department fire Robert Parks?
The department said Parks was terminated following his conviction stemming from an Oct. 28, 2025, incident involving a civilian and in accordance with Maryland law.
What was Robert Parks convicted of?
A judge found Parks guilty of second-degree assault, reckless driving and three counts of misconduct in office Thursday.
Had Parks already been suspended from the Baltimore Police Department?
Yes. Baltimore police said Parks had previously been suspended without pay while the criminal proceedings were underway and the department conducted an administrative review.
Sources: Baltimore Police Department termination statement
