A traffic citation issued to a veteran Baltimore City Council member in November that transportation officials “abated” after she complained the officer was abusive has finally been entered into court records. The online Maryland judiciary database now lists the citation — issued to council member Rochelle “Rikki” Spector on Nov. 11, 2007, for failure to obey an order from a traffic officer — as an active case.

A court date has not been set. The citation appeared after The Examiner sent queries to city Department of Transportation officials Monday regarding the status of the ticket. A March 10 article revealed the citation had not appeared in court records as required by law.

Previously, transportation officials said the citation had been “abated” based on an investigation of the actions of the officer who issued the ticket, after Specter complained the officer had been abusive when she tried to turn at a downtown intersection on the way to an awards banquet. But transportation officials said Wednesday that they were no longer abating the citation.

“The ticket has been forwarded on our end, however we cannot tell you when it will be processed with the court,” transportation spokeswoman Adrienne Barnes, who declined to elaborate, said in an e-mail.

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State law requires traffic citations to be sent “promptly” to the appropriate court after being signed by the officer. Failure to do is considered “official misconduct” — a criminal offense under Maryland law.

Spector reiterated her claim Wednesday that she did not expect the ticket would be abated when she turned it over to Department of Transportation Director Alfred H. Foxx Jr.

“My motive was to get these people better trained and to do a better job. I always expected I would be in front of a judge,” she said. “These people need better training.”

Spector said reforms are need to ensure traffic officers deal effectively with motorists.

“They are ambassadors for the city.”

sjanis@baltimoreexaminer.com

lbroadwater@baltimoreexaminer.com