UCLA employee files lawsuit alleging UCPD racially profiled him
Claudius Gaines, a UCLA employees, alleged in a lawsuit university police racially profiled him in 2014. (Courtesy of Carl Douglas)
This post was updated May 26 at 3:21 p.m.
A UCLA employee accused university police of racially profiling him during a 2014 arrest in a lawsuit filed Tuesday.
Claudius Gaines, a UCLA Facilities Management worker, alleged a UCPD officer assaulted and falsely imprisoned him during a traffic stop in the North Village in 2014 because he is black.
The lawsuit seeks monetary damages for alleged civil rights violations, battery and negligence. The suit claims UCLA and UCPD were negligent by failing to train UCPD officers properly to avoid racial profiling and violating Gaines’ civil rights because of his race.
In 2014, UCPD officers B.D. Young and Fabiola Leon stopped Gaines, who was driving toward his home in Inglewood, on Strathmore Drive and Levering Avenue for a broken license plate and for using his phone while driving, said Carl Douglas, Gaines’ attorney.
Gaines told Young his license plate was not broken, after which Young said he saw Gaines holding his hand by his head, suggesting he had been using his cell phone, according to the lawsuit.
Young asked Gaines to provide his license and registration, but Gaines remained in his car and did not produce the documents, Gaines said in the lawsuit. Gaines added Young pulled him out of his truck, and Gaines leaned on Young while he stepped down from his truck.
Police then arrested him for obstruction of a police officer and resisting arrest, UCLA officials said in an email statement.
City prosecutors decided to charge Gaines with the charges, but a jury failed to reach a verdict in 2015.
The officer grabbed Gaines by the wrist and threatened to pepper spray him, Douglas said.
UCLA officials said in the email statement UCPD officers receive ongoing training to recognize implicit bias and prevent racial profiling.
“UCLA strongly disputes the allegations made in the lawsuit and will vigorously defend itself in the course of the litigation,” UCLA officials said in the email. “UCPD seeks to ensure that its police officers apply the law equally to all persons.”
In 2014, the regents reached a $500,000 settlement with David S. Cunningham III, a Los Angeles Superior Court judge, after Cunningham filed a lawsuit against university police. Cunningham alleged UCPD officers used excessive force when they stopped him for not having his seatbelt on.
The officers, Kevin Dodd and James Kim, allegedly shoved Cunningham against his car while handcuffing him.
The UC Board of Regents and UCPD have 30 days to respond to the lawsuit.
