Black Officer Dismissed for Defending Legally Filming Family Arrest

A Maryland police officer, Mohamed Magassouba, contends he was dismissed from the Prince George’s County Police Department as retaliation for his refusal to unlawfully arrest a Black man who recorded the forceful arrest of his mother in 2019. Magassouba, who was terminated in 2021, is presently the police chief at the Capitol Heights Police Department and has initiated a lawsuit alleging racial discrimination and a hostile work environment.The trial commenced this week, with potential implications for police accountability, as asserted by his attorneys. They contend that department officials coerced him to alter his witness statement to shield a white officer who employed excessive force.Magassouba, having served the PGCPD since 2010, faced hardship after choosing integrity. The lawsuit portrays systemic issues within the Prince George’s County Police, including chronic racial profiling and discrimination against Black officers, emphasizing the need for reform.