Wilkes-Barre Mayor Brown to release video of traffic stop connected to racial profiling complaint

Jerry Lynott, The Times Leader, Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
·2 min read

Aug. 26—WILKES-BARRE — Mayor George Brown on Friday said "in interest of full public disclosure" he will release to the media the video of the traffic stop involving the chairwoman of the city's Police Advisory Committee that led to her filing a complaint of racial profiling against the officer involved.

Brown said for the past couple of days he had been discussing the release of footage from police body-worn cameras sought by Darlene Duggins-Magdalinski and the union representing Officer Dan Duffy who conducted the stop on Aug. 13.

"I came to the decision today the best thing was to put it out there. I want to be very open with the public," he said. "It's in the interest of full public disclosure."

The Wilkes-Barre City Police Department investigation into the complaint filed by Duggins-Magdalinski is ongoing, Brown added. The video from the cameras worn by Duffy and two other officers along with the completed report will be provided to the committee so it can make recommendations to Brown and Police Chief Joseph Coffay on what steps to take next. Duggins-Magdalinski, who was appointed to the committee by Brown in 2020, will not participate in the committee's review.

Duggins-Magdalinski, who is black, 53, of Hanover Township made public the complaint she filed on Aug. 17 in which she accused Duffy, who is white, of racial profiling her for the stop near the Turkey Hill convenience store at the intersection of South Wilkes-Barre Boulevard and Hazle Street. She was a passenger in her Mercedes Benz driven by her daughter Fa'tirah Duggins whose license had been suspended.

Duffy issued five traffic citations to Duggins-Magdalinski. She pleaded not guilty and has a summary trial before District Justice Rick Cronauer of Wilkes-Barre on Sept. 7.

The Wilkes-Barre City Police Benevolent Association Wednesday in Facebook post challenged her account and alleged Duggins-Magdalinski tried to use her position on the committee to alter the outcome of the stop. The union also asked that she be removed from the volunteer committee because she is not a city resident and for good cause. The PBA furthermore demanded that she be investigated for allegedly trying to use her influence as a committee member in other instances.

Visit timesleader.com for updates.

Reach Jerry Lynott at 570-991-6120 or on Twitter @TLJerryLynott.