Top city traffic official under investigation

15 employees complained of ‘inappropriate conduct’

Atop official in the Baltimore transportation department’s Traffic Division is under investigation following a formal complaint of inappropriate conduct signed by 15 employees, the department confirmed.

Graham Young, deputy chief of traffic, oversaw the department’s second-largest division, which includes traffic engineering, road closures and traffic lights.

Young was removed from his manage- ment capacity and is not currently supervising employees, pending the outcome of the investigation, said Greg Tucker, a spokesman for Mayor Catherine E. Pugh. Young is temporarily working in another division of the transportation agency, and a Maintenance Division supervisor has been assigned his duties, according to three department sources.

Reached by phone Wednesday, Young declined to comment and referred questions to the department.

“The Department of Transportation takes very seriously any accusation of inappropriate conduct by its employees, regardless of rank,” chief of staff Eboni Wimbush said in a statement. “These allegations are being fully investigated by the appropriate offices and individuals.”

Wimbush declined to discuss specifics of the allegations, calling them “a personnel matter.” She stressed that the investigation is not complete.

Thecomplaint, addressed to Transportation Director Michelle Pourciau, requested a meeting “with some type of resolution that we feel is appropriate.” It threatened a lawsuit if the issue went unaddressed.

Employees who signed the complaint could not be reached or declined to comment, citing the continuing investigation.