The Pennsylvania state trooper who arrested an LGBTQ Philly officer is no longer on the force

The Pennsylvania state trooper who arrested two leaders of Philadelphia’s LGBTQ community — including a city official — earlier this spring is no longer on the force, state police said Friday.

Lt. Adam Reed, a state police spokesman, said the trooper – whom he declined to name – “is no longer employed by our agency.” Reed said he could not comment further “as we do not comment on personnel matters.”

The former police officer arrested Celena Morrison-McLean, the executive director of the city’s Office of LGBT Affairs, and her husband Darius McLean, an officer at the William Way Community Center, on the morning of March 2 after a traffic stop and heated up their confrontation on the Vine Street Expressway. A video shot by Morrison-McLean of their arrests circulated on social media shortly afterward and appeared to show McLean lying on the side of the road begging the officer to let him go.

“I work for the mayor! I work for the mayor!” Morrison-McLean yelled before the officer could be heard, telling her to “shut up.”

The officer then turned to arrest Morrison-McLean, and as the video panned up, she could be heard saying, “He just hit me.”

State police initially said the trooper stopped the couple’s car for several traffic violations, including driving with expired and suspended registration, unlit headlights in the rain, illegally tinted windows and driving too close to another car. After the altercation on the highway, police recommended the pair each be charged with multiple misdemeanors and summary offenses, including resisting arrest and obstruction of justice, but prosecutors declined to file charges. They were released a few hours after their arrest.

Morrison-McLean, 51, has served as executive director of the city’s Office of LGBT Affairs since 2020. City officials believe she was likely the first openly transgender person to lead a city office or department. McLean, 35, is chief operating officer of the Philadelphia-based William Way Community Center and director of the Arcila-Adams Trans Resource Center.

The couple spoke out several days after the incident, saying they feared for their safety during the incident. They also described the officer as overly aggressive as he initially approached their car with his gun drawn and shouted profanities.

The couple said they planned to file a lawsuit against the officer, but have not yet done so. One of their lawyers, Kevin Mincey, declined to comment Friday other than to say they were still preparing a lawsuit and still planned to file it.

The soldier had been placed on restricted duty pending an internal investigation into the incident. The status of that investigation was not immediately clear Friday.

This is a developing story that will be updated.