The city of Dearborn, Michigan, has agreed to pay a Detroit woman $40,000 after she was ticketed by a police officer for telling him she’s HIV-positive.
Police Officer David Lacey said he pulled over Shalandra Jones and driver Mark Scott in 2012 because “I just rolled up and saw the brake light out, and I thought, ’Well, you know, what? I’m kind of bored.’ So, might as well, it’s worth a stop,” according to a video of the traffic stop, the Detroit Free Press reported Tuesday.
Officer Lacey searched the car after smelling marijuana and then proceeded to berate Ms. Jones for not telling him at the beginning of their encounter that she had HIV, according to the video.
“You just made me mad,” the officer said after Ms. Jones informed him of her condition.
“Dearborn does not have that many people living with HIV, and the police do not like people with HIV,” Officer Lacey told Ms. Jones, the Free Press reported. “Honestly, if it wasn’t for that, I don’t think I would have wrote anybody for anything. But that kind of really aggravated me, you know what I mean? You got to tell me right away. … Because at that time, I wasn’t wearing any gloves.”
“I found a needle on a guy once and he didn’t tell me. … He’s not going to forget anymore,” the officer said.
People with HIV are not required by law to inform police that they have it.
The officer ended up ticketing Ms. Jones on a misdemeanor marijuana possession charge, because her marijuana medical card had expired. The charge was dismissed last year, the Free Press reported.
Ms. Jones sued the city of Dearborn in January 2014. Their settlement was reached Aug. 31.
“We believe this was an isolated incident with a single officer and not reflective of the behavior of our police department,” said Mary Laundroche, spokeswoman for the city of Dearborn. “Respect for everyone is emphasized in all police department training.”
• Jessica Chasmar can be reached at jchasmar@washingtontimes.com.
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