State trooper who arrested LGBTQ+ leaders in Philadelphia no longer works for the state police

The state trooper who arrested two LGBTQ+ leaders after a controversial traffic stop in Philadelphia is no longer employed by the Pennsylvania State Police, officials said Friday. Pennsylvania State Police Lt. Adam Reed said the trooper, whose name was not released, no longer works for the agency, although it is unclear whether he was fired and when he left the job. “As of today, I can say that he is no longer employed. “I cannot offer any additional information as we do not comment on personnel matters,” Reed said. In March, Celena Morrison and her husband Darius McLean were arrested after a traffic stop on an elevated stretch of highway in the city. Morrison heads the city’s LGBT affairs office and McLean runs an LGBTQ+ community center in the city. The arrests prompted Mayor Cherelle Parker to speak out and denounce the exchange between the police officer, who appears to be white, and the Black couple “very concerning.” The Pennsylvania State Troopers Association criticized the state police for not getting behind the officer was standing. “This decision is reprehensible,” union President Stephen Polishan said in a statement. “This young police officer has only been on the force for six years.” Attorney Kevin Mincey, who is representing the couple, declined to comment. He is preparing to file a lawsuit against the state police and the trooper on her behalf. The pair were held for about 12 hours after a traffic stop at 9:00 a.m. March 2, where they were driving separately to take a car for repairs when a police officer pulled Morrison over after he got between the two of them maneuvered vehicles, according to her lawyer. Morrison recorded a video on her cell phone of the officer handcuffing McLean after he stopped his car behind the officer. In the video, McLean is lying on the side of the road in the rain. The officer knocked the cellphone out of her hand, ending the recording, Morrison’s lawyers said. The couple’s lawyers also questioned the reason for the stop, saying the officer didn’t have time to complete the registration before he forced himself between them and pulled Morrison over. The officer said on the video that he pulled her over because she was following too closely and because she didn’t turn on her lights. “I don’t know why he’s doing this,” McLean shouted to his wife as she recorded him being handcuffed. “That’s because I am.” “I’m Black,” McLean says. “It’s not because you’re black,” replies the police officer, who leaves McLean handcuffed on the side of the road and then goes to arrest Morrison.