A female Westbrook police officer is accusing the police department of discrimination and sexual harassment.

Melissa May, who has been with the department since 2009, has filed an intent to sue against the city, claiming she has been harassed ever since a routine traffic stop in January, when she issued a speeding ticket to the girlfriend of a fellow officer.

The claim, issued by May’s attorney, Rebecca Webber, of Skelton, Taintor & Abbott in Auburn, states the city violated the Maine Human Rights Act “regarding sexual harassment, hostile work environment, discrimination on the basis of gender, retaliation, and whistleblower discrimination.”

Included in the notice of claim is a 77-page account by May, which provides a detailed outline of incidents, emails and meetings that have occurred since January.

In the claim notice, May said that following the January speeding ticket, a fellow officer overhead a sergeant and another officer call May a derogatory term. An investigation within the department, according to May’s claim, led to another instance of derogatory language and further isolated her from the other officers.

In 2010, two female members of the Westbrook Fire and Rescue Department received a settlement after suing the city the prior year for failing to appropriately respond to their sexual harassment complaints.

Webber also represented the firefighters.

In a statement issued by the city, Mayor Colleen Hilton said, “We were surprised and disappointed to receive it, given the effort made to address her concerns and maintain a workplace free of harassment and discrimination, a goal to which we remain committed.”

Hilton added that the city is continuing to work with May and her lawyer “to resolve her grievances and avoid the need for costly litigation.”