A former Brooklyn Park probationary police officer has sued the city of Brooklyn Park and its Police Department claiming that she was discriminated against on the basis of gender and disability.

The suit, filed Friday in U.S. District Court, says Stacey Garding, 26, of Maple Grove, was hired as a probationary police officer in April 2013 and terminated in October of that year.

Garding claims she was fired and discriminated against because of her gender and health issues. She is seeking compensation of more than $75,000 for loss of "past and future income … [and] emotional distress."

The lawsuit lays out several examples of what Garding calls biased treatment, including statements by her training officer that she "needs to remember [her] place" and "should be seen and not heard."

The suit also states that the city "discriminated against [her] based on her disability."

While no disability is specified, Garding had health problems during her employment. And according to the documents, she was placed on "light duty" because of the "city's misguided belief that she had vision problems." She had passed the city's required vision test and took an eye examination, yet was told that a "field training office [will] be the judge of whether her eyesight was sufficient," according to the suit.

The city of Brooklyn Park and its Police Department declined to comment Tuesday.

"Ms. Garding believes she was unlawfully terminated, and hopes this lawsuit will compensate her for the inappropriate conduct she endured," her attorney, Matt Morgan, said in a written statement.

Karen Zamora • 612-673-4647