Northern Region Acting Assistant Commissioner Paul Taylor has today personally apologised to the woman on behalf of the Queensland Police Service a statement released today revealed.
Dorothy Deshong said she had no idea about the outstanding fine until she phoned police last month to report her house had been broken into and her handbag stolen.
But she told NITV the police were not interested in her claim.
"They probably spent about 30 seconds discussing the theft of my handbag," she said. "They were more interested in the crime of not paying a 22-year-old parking ticket."
She claimed the police then came to her house, knocked on her window and called her name repeatedly before arresting her and loading her into a paddy wagon.
The incident still shocks her.
"I'm still a bit stunned and still really annoyed and embarrassed," she said, adding: "Better than I was, but it's still very baffling to me."
She said she was humiliated that the arrest happened in full view of her neighbours.
"I've got to live here and who knows what these people are thinking, but I didn't have a choice."
At the police station, Ms Deshong phoned her daughter and asked her to bring money to pay the fine.
The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Service (ATSILS) had made an offer to represent Dorothy.
ATSILS legal officer Greg Shadbolt said he believed legislative changes should be made to allow police to show some discretion.
"We would certainly be encouraging the powers that be to consider some limited exceptions," he said.
Ms Deshong said she still hadn't seen any paperwork relating to the July arrest.
"I still haven't seen the warrant, the original parking fine, or the warrant that the police said they had," she said.
"My daughter or myself didn't get a receipt when she paid the fine and I have nothing to show that the fine really did cost $131 - so there's nothing on paper."
The statement from Queensland Police revealed that due to legislative changes the police involved did not have the power to arrest Ms Deshong on the 22-year-old warrant.
Police said the officer involved in the matter would be receiving ongoing management and training in how to execute warrants.
Ms Deshong would also be repaid some of the fine she was made to pay after Police admitted in the statement they had miscalculated the debt at the time of her arrest.
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