Posted on 06/27/2013 6:22:24 AM PDT by rarestia
LAKELAND --
The Lakeland police officer put on leave after a "bra shaking" case had to be protected by the agency after his personal information was released to the public.
According to the agency, Officer Dustin Fetz, who pulled a woman over May 21 and asked her to shake her bra during a drug search, was put on paid leave for four days. After the incident, authorities provided protection for the officer because someone released Fetz's personal information to the public.
"We have requested the appropriate agency to do directed patrols in his area," said Lakeland Police Chief Lisa Womack.
According to reports, the Fetz asked Zoe Brugger and her boyfriend for permission to search the vehicle when he pulled them over.
When they denied his request, Fetz escorted Brugger behind the car, where he asked her to lift her shirt above her stomach, pull her bra away from her chest and shake it out. Unsatisfied with her first attempt, he made her shake her bra a second time.
No drugs were found on Brugger, but the officer persisted in searching the car - even after she withdrew her consent.
When the vehicle search turned up no drugs, he gave her a ticket. Brugger told the state attorney's office that Fetz told her, "I'm done scaring you, and now you can go home."
Fetz told investigators that the bra-shaking search is a known technique that is used by some Lakeland officers, but he could not recall ever formally being trained to do this.
The department is reviewing its policies.
State Attorney Jerry Hill wrote the Department saying Officer Dustin Fetz's request for Zoe Brugger to shake her bra to free any hidden drugs was "demeaning."
Hill went on to say the method used on the May 21 traffic stop was also ineffective and dangerous.
She WITHDREW her consent for the officer to search the vehicle, but he did it anyway. THEN he gave her a ticket and made a completely unprofessional remark.
This officer should be thrown out on his ass and blacklisted from ever working in law enforcement. He's a pervert and a thug, period.
I don’t understand, it says they DENIED his consent request, and then she WITHDREW her consent.
Just a jiggle-OH
This is what most people call a paid vacation. What would you call it?
Hard to tell if it’s bad writing, bad reporting or what!
I read so many things like this in the news now-they make no sense-makes me crazy! —I used to be a proofreader so it really makes me nuts :)
She denied him the right to search the car, basically she “withdrew” her consent. It means the same thing, they just used different terminology in two places.
It’s poor writing.
“Still shakin’ it, boss, still shakin’. I’m shakin’ it, boss.”
This is why all agents of the government should be required to carry professional malfeasance insurance.
The victim should sue him and make the insurance pay off, raising his rates. Enough of these incidents would make his premiums unaffordable and he’d have to find another line of work.
When I lived in Lakeland (good middle class neighborhood), about 15 years ago the LPD came to my house and nastily harassed me looking for some scum bag I never heard of. Seems that when they arrested the guy he pulled my address out of the phone book and said it was his. They just took his word for it (that’s how stupid they are). When he skipped out on his bail they came to my house (2 cars and 3 cops) and got in my face claiming I was lying about not knowing him. 20 years at the same address without so much as a traffic ticket and my word was worth less than some felon that skipped town.
No cop steps on my property without a warrant, *ever again*. I learned my lesson, don’t even talk to them. PERIOD.
So they’re afraid there’s gonna be laugh riots around his house?
ABSOLUTELY! I won't even open my door for them. I can hear them just fine through the door. Come back with a warrant, and we can talk.
Cops are legally allowed to lie to further their investigation. It cannot be used against them in court. As such, if they feel like implicating you in a crime, all they have to do is say you opened your door and smelled pot, and you're screwed.
To Protect and Serve.......utter nonsense
Hmm. I would call that "withheld", or "refused". "Withdraw" means to offer and then rescind the offer.
No drugs were found on Brugger, but the officer persisted in searching the car - even after she withdrew her consent.
In the first section, they state that she denied his request to search the car. This means she withdrew consent. The second section, they simply reiterated that she'd withdrawn her consent.
No, it doesn't. Look it up in the dictionary. "withdraw" means to take away.
You can't take away something that they don't have.
Oh, we agree on that point, but I was trying to explain what the writer meant. I see your point now.
Considering the BS with the 5th Amendment as of late, apparently we have to declare our rights before we use them or they’re assumed to not exist.
Our country is truly lost.
In a similar matter, what happened to the female Texas cop who performed two illegal body cavity searches on women she pulled over on an alleged drug search? Two searches, same gloved hand for each.
Anybody?
Re:”In a similar matter, what happened to the female Texas cop who performed two illegal body cavity searches on women she pulled over on an alleged drug search? Two searches, same gloved hand for each.”
The results just came in:
The two women got $185,000.
Trooper Kelly Helleson was fired and still faces two counts of sexual assault and two counts of official oppression.
Trooper David Farrell (who confiscated a prescription drub bottle) was charged of theft by a public servant and is currently suspended.
Note: Texas law specifically addresses acts violating a citizens rights “under color of authority.”
Note: Unlike some (most?) other states, wrongful behavior, even unwarranted discourtesy, by Texas Highway Patrol troopers is vanishingly rare. Over more than 5 decades I have only heard of 3 instances, including this one.
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