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Co. Attorney, Police Dismiss Tickets Issued To 40 Latino Drivers

CHASKA, Minn. (WCCO) -- Forty traffic tickets that were issued by a since-fired Chaska police officer have been removed from public record after it was determined the officer profiled the drivers based on their race.

Carver County Attorney Mark Metz and Chaska Police Chief Scott Knight released a joint statement Thursday saying the officer's actions violated the Constitution's Equal Protection Clause.

The Chaska Police Department fired Josh Lawrenz in 2015 because they believe he profiled and ticketed drivers based on their Hispanic race. In 2016, an arbitrator upheld his termination following a contested hearing.

Metz also dismissed older violations that ended in convictions before Lawrenz was accused of racial profiling as a "matter of public trust."

Both agencies asserted their law enforcement efforts are not concentrated on discriminatory factors, but solely on illegal conduct.

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