FLORISSANT, Mo. — A former Florissant police officer is facing another lawsuit accusing him of stealing nude photos from another woman's phone during traffic stops.
The lawsuit alleges that he took the woman's phone back to his police car during a traffic stop, found nude photographs of the woman on the phone, and used his own phone to take photos of the screen. The allegations mirror those described in multiple lawsuits filed earlier this year.
The most recent lawsuit said the officer pulled the woman over twice for broken tail lights. During the stop, she told the officer her insurance information was on her phone. The lawsuit said the officer then took her unlocked phone back to his police vehicle, where he searched the phone for nude photographs.
According to the lawsuit, the officer looked at the photos himself and also shared them with other people.
The lawsuit said the woman did not know she was victimized until the FBI contacted her several months later. In each of the previous lawsuits, the victims also said they were unaware of the incidents until they were contacted by the FBI.
The lawsuit, filed by attorneys Bevis Schock and Daniel Goldberg, said they believe there are "at least seven other victims" in addition to the plaintiff in the newest lawsuit.
The City of Florissant is also named as a defendant in the suit. It alleges the activity "directly resulted from either Defendant City of Florissant’s failure to supervise, failure to train, or an unofficial custom, or widespread pattern of misconduct."
The lawsuit, filed Tuesday, is the first to identify the officer. 5 On Your Side is not identifying him because he has not been charged with a crime.
The Ethical Society of Police provided the following statement in response to the lawsuit. 5 On Your Side has removed the officer's name from the statement:
"The actions of Officer [Redacted], as described in this lawsuit, are deeply disturbing and represent a gross violation of trust and human dignity. We unequivocally condemn his reprehensible behavior, which not only exploited and humiliated the victims but also tarnished the integrity of those sworn to protect and serve. Our hearts go out to the courageous individuals who have come forward to seek justice. Their strength and resilience in the face of such degradation must not go unnoticed.
"We sincerely hope that the Florissant Police Department has since implemented rigorous policies and procedures to strengthen accountability and ensure that such a grievous breach of duty is never repeated. It is crucial that law enforcement agencies maintain robust checks and balances to prevent future misconduct, protect the community and foster an environment of trust, fairness, and justice for all."
