KALAMAZOO, MI -- An incident with a Kalamazoo man could result in disciplinary action for a young police officer.

On March 1, Joseph Harris was pulled over on Riverview Drive for having tinted windows and a faulty brake light on his 2008 Dodge Magnum.

Harris, a black man in his 40s who has lived in Kalamazoo his whole life, said he was respectful and professional with the two officers, but is concerned with how he was treated.

"The more that I think back in retrospect, they were acting in concert," Harris said. "For one officer I would say it's an isolated incident, but for both of them to know the stop is bogus and go along with it -- I think there's a little more to it and I don't think I'm the only person it happened to."

Harris turned over his registration and proof of insurance to Officer Matthew Gernaat, but had left his driver's license at his father's home. Meanwhile, Officer Matthew Slenk approached the vehicle on the passenger's side to question Harris.

"(Gernaat) said, 'This is a nice car, are you sure it does belong to you?'" Harris said. "I said listen, you have my registration, proof of insurance and you know who I am."

Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety Chief Jeff Hadley said Gernaat is a newly hired officer in training, with less than six months on the job, while Slenk is a veteran officer who was paired with him.

While officers ran his information, Harris said he checked his brakes in an attempt to see the reflection off the police vehicle. The brakes were functioning properly.

When they returned to his vehicle, Harris said the police asked to search the vehicle. Harris did not give them consent to search the car.

Harris said the officers wrote him three tickets for having tinted windows, faulty brake lights and no driver's license. Before he left, the officers asked Harris why he was expressing frustration with the situation, and accused him of having marijuana in his vehicle.

Incredulous, Harris said he opened his vehicle and asked where the officer came to that conclusion. Some wet grass on his floormat was mistakenly believed to be marijuana, police told him.

"I was like get the hell out of here," Harris said. "I don't smoke, I've never been high. I'm just going to debunk this right now."

Police then let him on his way. The encounter lasted 20 to 30 minutes, Harris said.

"Hindsight is 20/20," Harris said. "Now that I look back, I think if they had an opportunity, the officer would have dumped something in the car (if he could). He was a grassy knoll guy."

Harris left and returned to his father's house to tell him of the encounter. Feeling something was amiss, Harris then drove to Public Safety headquarters on Crosstown Parkway and spoke with Sgt. Chad Vanderklok, who reviewed the dash camera footage of the incident.

Within 30 minutes, Vanderklock reviewed the footage and told Harris the tickets would be waived. He apologized to Harris, saying the officers wrote the tickets in error.

Kalamazoo resident Joseph Harris was pulled over in his Dodge Magnum on March 1. (Courtesy | Joseph Harris)

"It appears on face value that we made at least some mistake, and we acknowledged it and took care of it," Hadley said. "There's something to take away from that. In that regard, it's acknowledgement on KDPS' part that we don't always get it right."

Hadley said Sunday that he has not seen the dash camera footage or spoken with either of the officers who pulled Harris over. However, Hadley said the officers made a mistake.

"I think every single contact that we have with someone in the community, people walk away with their opinions and perspectives," Hadley said. "We really impress upon the officers that every call counts. We're not going to get it right 100 percent of the time, who does?"

Hadley said Gernaat will be spoken to about his handling of the incident, which could result in disciplinary action if necessary. Gernaat is a "good, nice young man," Hadley said, and will receive training.

"We strive to be the best we can but we're human," Hadley said. "You don't want to vilify a new officer because he made one error and that's all part of the training process."

Harris said he has had respectful and professional interactions with the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety, but now is now skeptical of the department.

"Even though Vanderklock did the right thing, it's after the fact this already happened," Harris said. "Honestly, there's no room for any cops like that nowadays."

Harris posted his account of the experience to Facebook Thursday, which has since accumulated traction on social media. The post was shared almost 450 times as of Sunday evening.

He said he wanted to alert the community to a "rogue cop."

"I'm an easy-going guy and that's why I didn't see the seriousness of it at first," Harris said. "(Police) pulled me over for something that didn't even exist. I hate using the color and the race card. I don't think this was even about the race, I think it played 25 percent (of the cause), but the other factor was the tenacious (mindset of) 'we're going to find something on this guy now.'"

Hadley said the attention on social media is an example of how the community can hold police accountable, as they should.

"If we don't know that (these incidents) happen, we're operating blind and we don't want to do that -- I appreciate him respectfully bringing it forward and both of us will be better for it," Hadley said.