Salem Police Department Sued Over Alleged Bogus Detention

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – A lawsuit alleges a Salem, Oregon, police officer accused a Native American man of stealing a car he was working on, grabbed him, shoved him onto the hood of his police car and handcuffed him with no justification for arrest.

The Oregonian/OregonLive reports the federal civil rights lawsuit filed Tuesday against Salem police and Salem Officer David Baker says only after the officer had placed Christopher Garza in the back of his patrol car did he learn that Garza lived at the auto shop property and worked for the shop.

Salem police spokesperson Angela Hedrick said the department would not comment on the pending litigation.