18 women claim NYPD cop illegally strip-searched them

New York, Sep 24 (ANI): A NYPD narcotics detective is facing departmental trial over allegations that he illegally strip-searched 18 women in Brooklyn.

However, he has brushed away the claims calling them all lying druggies.

Two of the 18 women have filed federal suits against Detective Charles Derosalia, including Claudia Bova.

Bova said he forced her to pull her pants down so he could photograph a below-the-navel tattoo with a cell phone camera.

The probe was launched after Bova complained about the incident, which took place in a bathroom at the Brooklyn district attorney's office in June 2007.

She had been arrested in a Coney Island drug sweep and later pleaded guilty to a misdemeanour charge and got drug treatment.

Investigators from the Internal Affairs Bureau tracked down dozens of women who had been arrested in similar sweeps by Derosalia's team at Brooklyn South Narcotics, and 17 others said they had been strip searched by him.

Bova's lawyer Nicole Bellina said she was shocked to learn the number of victims.

"[Derosalia] assumed he was never going to be called out on his behavior," the New York Daily News quoted Bellina as saying.

Another woman who testified, Quantalis Legrand, claimed Derosalia watched her change out of pajamas into street clothes, exposing her breasts and panties to him in the bedroom of her Avenue X apartment.

However, Derosalia said the women are liars.

"Of course I'm denying it. Unfortunately, people can sue you all the time," he said. (ANI)