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Trooper at center of controversial traffic stop of city official no longer on force: PSP

By FOX 29 Staff
Published  May 10, 2024 3:58pm EDT
Philadelphia
FOX 29 Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA - A Pennsylvania State Trooper at the center of a controversial arrest of a Philadelphia city official and her husband earlier this year is no longer on the force, officials confirmed Friday. 

Pennsylvania State Police Lt. Adam Reed said the trooper no longer works for the agency, though it's unclear whether he was fired and when he left the job.

The incident happened back on Saturday, March 3 during a traffic stop on the Vine Street Expressway. 

Celena Morrison, the Executive Director of the city’s office of LGBT affairs, and her husband were both arrested during the incident. A portion of the incident was captured on video and later circulated on social media. 

State Police previously reported that it was just after 9 a.m. that morning when a traffic stop was initiated on an Infiniti being driven by Morrison for ‘multiple code violations.’ Police said Morrison’s husband, Kalen McLean pulled up behind the trooper in a Dodge Challenge during the stop. 

According to an internal State Police document reviewed by FOX29, Trooper Andrew Zaborowski orders Mclean out of the vehicle, but he refuses. The trooper "assists" McLean out of the Dodge and the pair struggle. 

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Morrison gets out of her car recording and can be heard yelling that she works for the mayor. 

According to the internal document and the State Police public release of information, the arresting officer, Andrew Zaborowski, is a 2023 graduate of the academy who was given a leadership award and started work in Philadelphia in September. 

State Police say while Zaborowski was not wearing a bodycam, his cruiser was equipped with a dashboard camera and a microphone, and it was recording.

PA State Trooper involved in controversial traffic stop on desk duty

New information emerges two days after Philadelphia’s Executive Director of the Office of LGBT Affairs, Celena Morrison and her husband were involved in a traffic stop.

Two days after the arrest, the state trooper involved was placed on desk duty as Pennsylvania State Police announced they have opened an internal probe.

The Pennsylvania State Troopers Association criticized the state police for not standing behind the trooper.

"This decision is reprehensible," Union President Stephen Polishan said in an statement. "This young trooper, on the job for only six months, deserved better from our department."

Lawyer Kevin Mincey, who represents the couple, declined to comment. He is preparing to file a suit against the state police and the trooper on their behalf.

The couple were detained for about 12 hours after the 9 a.m. March 2 traffic stop in which they were driving separately to take a car for repairs when a trooper pulled Morrison over after maneuvering himself between their two vehicles, according to their lawyer.

All State Troopers assigned to Troop K - covering Philadelphia, Delaware, and Montgomery counties - have since been outfitted with body-worn cameras. 

State police completed an expedited rollout ahead of schedule specifically for Troop K bringing the total PSP stations outfitted with body-worn cameras to cover 19 counties across the Commonwealth.