Female detainee forcibly stripped, video.

[thatJeffguy]

Anyone find anything about this? Latest I can find is 6/6/08. I wonder if she's sued the county out of existence yet, or if her husband found his balls and did the right thing re: those male deputies.

[PocketProtector]

Wow....but not surprising....It seems like LEO's (no offense to those here)), in the group mentality have become very physically abusive. Just too many videos surfacing showing extreme physical abuse of virtually helpless people. when you watch some of the videos all you can ask is "what are those cops thinking?"

[NikeBauer21]

Wow....but not surprising....It seems like LEO's (no offense to those here)), in the group mentality have become very physically abusive. Just too many videos surfacing showing extreme physical abuse of virtually helpless people. when you watch some of the videos all you can ask is "what are those cops thinking?"

You have to realize, that they put their life on the line every single day, and I can imagine they wouldn't take kindly to people trying to kill them. Now, in certain instances, yea, I think they go too far. But alot of times when they catch someone on the street who is trying to kill them or something, slam the f out of them a little bit IMO... The bastards try to kill you or injur you, and you're supposed to treat them like a precious little angel. BS.

[velkly]

Wow.. This is the first I've heard about it. Based on the report, I don't see how anyone could rationalize the need for such force and brutality. Sadly, even if she does sue them out of existence, that will never make up for what she has had to endure.

[King 5.45]

From the Stark County Sheriff's Department web page:

Wednesday February 6, 2008

The duties and responsibilities of county jails across Ohio are set forth in the Minimum Standards for Jails in Ohio. Many of these obligations are unpleasant to undertake, particularly those dealing with difficult or troubled inmates, however the regulations are necessary to insure the safety of the inmate. One such standard is found in Ohio Administrative Code Section 5120:1-12-09.

There is an annual inspection by the Bureau of Adult Detention of all jail facilities to include the Stark County Jail to insure those standards are being followed. The Stark County Sheriff’s Office has had 100% compliance with those standards for the past three years.

To insure we are performing in the manner directed in those policies and procedures, the Stark County Sheriff’s Office videotapes incidents when dealing with difficult or troubled inmates. The video documentation is preserved for future reference if needed or questions or concerns are raised as to the procedure followed. The portions of the videos that were released by the media were segments of the entire tapings provided to the Attorneys representing Hope Steffy in connection with the pending civil lawsuit.

I have reviewed this incident and feel comfortable that my deputies performed their rather unpleasant tasks in this incident in a professional manner that is consistent with the requirements of the law. However, an outside, objective review of our actions is always welcome and necessary to maintain the public’s trust in this office. Therefore, Sheriff Tim Swanson reports that after conferring with Counsel and Stark County Prosecutor John Ferrero’s Office, an official request has been made of Attorney General Marc Dann. The letter officially requests that Attorney Marc Dann’s Office review all circumstances surrounding the arrest and incarceration of Hope Steffy in October of 2007. The Stark County Sheriff’s Office will cooperate fully with the Attorney General’s inquiry and review and stands ready to proceed.

We respectfully request that the media and the public allow this incident to be reviewed by the Attorney General’s Office and to withhold judgment in this regard until both sides of the incident have been told.

The Stark County Sheriff’s Office has earned the trust of the citizens of Stark County and as this incident is fully presented in Federal Court, and to the Attorney General’s Office, all will be satisfied with the trust and confidence they’ve expressed for the Stark County Sheriff's Office.

THE STARK COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE HAS NO FURTHER COMMENT ON THIS INCIDENT UNTIL THE REVIEW BY THE ATTORNEY GENERAL’S OFFICE IS COMPLETED.
_______________________________________

Sheriff Timothy A. Swanson
Stark County Sheriff

February 6, 2008

Ohio Attorney General Marc Dann
State Office Tower
30 East Broad Street – 17th Floor
Columbus, Ohio 43215-3428

Dear Attorney General Dann:

Please allow this letter to serve as an Official request of the Stark County Sheriff’s Office. After conferring with staff council and the Stark County Prosecutor, John Ferrero, we officially request a review by Attorney General Marc Dann. This is a request to have the Attorney General’s Office review the procedures surrounding the arrest and incarceration of Hope Steffy in the Stark County Jail.

The Stark County Sheriff’s Office stands ready to cooperate with the Attorney General’s review of the Steffy case.

Sincerely,


_______________________________________
TIMOTHY A. SWANSON
Stark County Sheriff

TAS/clw

cc: Prosecutor Ferrero
Staff Attorney V. Duffrin
Attorney J. Climer

If you look at the cached web page, it would appear that someone made a clumsy attempt to make the contents of the page invisible to casual web browsers.

Check out this blog entry: http://www.graphictruth.com/2009/03/...-internet.html The SAG no-billed the incident and now the deputies involved in the incident are SUING!

Here is WKYC's follow-up broadcast the next day:

[ChamberedRound]

You have to realize, that they put their life on the line every single day, and I can imagine they wouldn't take kindly to people trying to kill them. Now, in certain instances, yea, I think they go too far. But alot of times when they catch someone on the street who is trying to kill them or something, slam the f out of them a little bit IMO... The bastards try to kill you or injur you, and you're supposed to treat them like a precious little angel. BS.

This thread is inappropriately titled, because this woman wasn't an inmate, nor was she at prison. And, I'd completely understand your reasoning if this was a person that had tried to attack the police, or made the police chase them down for miles or something, but did you watch the posted video? I understand the media doesn't always report 100% of the story, but this just doesn't seem right to me.

This was a woman, not charged with a crime, who was detained and forcibly had her clothes removed and searched for weapons by a group of male and female officers, for "officer safety". IMHO for 99% of people who are not being charged, if the police are worried about weapons a frisk is more than sufficient. Then, when the search was over, they left her in the cell naked for 6 hours? WTF does that accomplish? They couldn't give the woman any clothes to put on? Inmates in a prison, who have fewer rights than a woman who's not been charged, tried, or convicted of a crime are treated better.

I'll be the first to retract my opinion on the matter if it's found that this woman aggravated or instigated the situation, or indeed did do something which required a strip search, but this whole situation seems wrong on so many levels.

[Carnes]

From what I can pick up, and this is obviously just speculation, but it appears that they were questioning her about her disposition toward hurting herself. Thanks to our nanny-state policies that make the police responsible for protecting someone from herself, the police were likely justified in stripping her and leaving her because she was hysterical and hesitated when asked if she had thoughts about hurting herself.

This is one more indication that our legal system is completely broke. It is not the place of government or its agents to forcibly stop someone from having the potential to harm herself. Especially when the use of force to prevent the potential self-harm is concretely harmful.

Get the Nanny out of the State. Fight and vote for individual responsibility.

[thatJeffguy]

The excerpt that King posted is contradictory with the policy of the Sheriff's Department. The news story said that the Sheriff told them it was "Department Policy" to only have same-gender officers participate in strip searches. Obviously, two males were present.

[Morel42]

Fucking Disgusting.

Every single male in that room should be charged with sexual assault along with the Sherriff with even more. The Majority of LEO's want and demand control unilaterally regardless of situation. You stop being a person the moment you become involved in any type of with an on duty LEO.

I know that this attitude evolves from dealing with the scum and assholes every day for so long, but once that happens they need to be taken off patrol and retrain, assigned desk duty, or something until they can get their heads on straight again.

The fact that the Cam was turned off at any point during any incident is a serious peice of Bullshit. It's almost impossible to imagine that it would be inactive during this, there must be a tape. Only the most underfunded and backwater of locations don't have automatic Dash Camera Units (It turns on automatically if the Lights are turned on and the recorder is in a locked compartment that even the officer doesn't have access too.. at least in theory)

I'm also not surprised it's a Sherriff Office either. Which in most locations have zero requirements to be a deputy other then a HS Diploma and No Felony arrests. Yes, the requirements to get CCW's are more strict in PA then it is to be a Deputy in some places. They also have the lowest training standards compared to other organizations. Of course there are huge exceptions, but generally they have the highest turnover rate, and the lowest pay of all LE agencies.

I'm in no way saying that all or most of them are like this, however I CAN tell you that every LEO knows of another officer on the force that shouldn't have a badge, and does nothing about it. That makes them just as bad.

I'd much rather get pulled over by a State Trooper then any other sort of LEO.. Generally, it's a much more professional and intellegent individual behind the badge due to the much higher and stricter requirements to be a State Trooper (4 year Degree and much longer training time).

I hope she sues the individual Deputies too. Make them feel the pain personally.

[Strapped]

Anyone who defends the actions of these cops should really seek help..

This was a disgusting and majorly disturbing thing to do to any human being, especially a woman..

What they did would be considered rape if they did not have a badge..

If ANYONE and I mean ANYONE did this to my wife I would execute them, plain and simple..

I don't bash LEO's because I feel most of them do their job duties correctly and honestly, but every officer involved in this ordeal is a filthy piece of shit..