The Orlando, Fla., police department has released body camera video of officers pulling over a woman during a traffic stop last month – only to learn the woman in question is state attorney Aramis Ayala, the only black state attorney in Florida history.
But Ayala says she has no plans to pursue any sort of legal action against the department. Instead, she’s hoping video of the stop will serve to start a “dialogue” between the community and police.
“My goal is to have a constructive and mutually respectful relationship between law enforcement and the community,” Ayala said.
The traffic stop occurred on June 19 in the Parramore neighbourhood of Orlando. Ayala said she was leaving Florida A&M Law School, where she was teaching a class, when she was pulled over by two Orlando police officers.
The stop quickly becomes awkward as the officer checks Ayala’s ID.
“What agency you with?” the officer asks.
“I’m the state attorney,” Ayala deadpans.
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The officer explains that he ran Ayala’s license plate and “nothing came up.”
“Also your windows were really dark,” the officer adds. Ayala asks for their names, which the officer provides. No ticket is issued and the traffic stop ends shortly thereafter.
The video, released on July 12, has sparked an angry response from many questioning why the officers felt the need to pull over Ayala at all.
“To be clear, I violated no laws,” Ayala said in her statement. “The license plate, while confidential was and remains properly registered. The tint was in no way a violation of Florida law.”
However, she also stresses that the traffic stop was consistent with Florida law, and she has no plans to sue or otherwise legally challenge the department.
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Instead, she hopes the video will serve as a rebuke to the “flood of misinformation” and help better inform both the public and police about interactions within the community.
“I look forward to sitting down to have an open dialogue with the chief of the Orlando Police Department regarding how this incident impacts that goal,” Ayala said.
In November of last year, Ayala became the first African-American ever elected as a top prosecutor in a Florida judicial district. She recently made headlines in the state with her strong stance against the death penalty.
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