Reported by: Amber Dixon
adixon@mynews3.com
LAS VEGAS (KSNV MyNews3)
-- In skin-tight jeans, Stacey Frongillo said she could not hide a
weapon.
“The clothing I had on, you could clearly see that I did not have a weapon on me,” said Frongillo.
Still, she said a male Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department officer patted her down for weapons.
“It was humiliating,” said Frongillo. “It was humiliating, and it was inappropriate.”
The patdown came after she said police pulled over her and her motorcycle riding boyfriend for failing to signal.
“Firmly pushed down my buttocks, down the back of my thighs to my knees,” said Frongillo. “I had boots on. He never went anywhere near my boots. He went around to the front, and he went in the crotch area and then down my thighs, and this was long and slow.”
Frongillo said she requested a woman officer do the search.
“He said, ‘There's no need for a woman. I've been doing this for years,’” said Frongillo.
Frongillo’s alleged experience is now another addition to a lawsuit from motorcycle groups claiming police violated their civil rights.
“There's everything from sexual assault to police brutality, and it's sad,” said attorney Stephen Stubbs. “It's horrible. It's horrifying.”
More than 30 plaintiffs are suing the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, the North Las Vegas Police Department and now two members of the Boulder City Police Department.
Stubbs cites an email from Boulder City's police chief as just one piece of evidence.
“Specifically asking the judge to treat the motorcyclists differently and to take no plea deals,” said Stubbs. “He wanted to throw the book at them.”
Frongillo said she’s determined no one else will face fear from police like she said she did.
“I felt like, that if I didn't comply that maybe they would have arrested us or you know, I didn't know what would happen,” said Frongillo.
Stubbs said the motorcycle clubs are only suing two Boulder City Police Department members because evidence indicates only they participated in alleged civil rights violations.
Stubbs said in an email, “the motorcycle clubs do not think it is right to hold the entire City of Boulder City liable.”
He added “this is very different than Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and North Las Vegas Police Department, which have multiple officers involved in the violations.”
The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and the North Las Vegas Police Department said it is policy not to comment on pending lawsuits.
The Boulder City Police Chief said he has not yet seen the lawsuit and declined comment.
“The clothing I had on, you could clearly see that I did not have a weapon on me,” said Frongillo.
Still, she said a male Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department officer patted her down for weapons.
“It was humiliating,” said Frongillo. “It was humiliating, and it was inappropriate.”
The patdown came after she said police pulled over her and her motorcycle riding boyfriend for failing to signal.
“Firmly pushed down my buttocks, down the back of my thighs to my knees,” said Frongillo. “I had boots on. He never went anywhere near my boots. He went around to the front, and he went in the crotch area and then down my thighs, and this was long and slow.”
Frongillo said she requested a woman officer do the search.
“He said, ‘There's no need for a woman. I've been doing this for years,’” said Frongillo.
Frongillo’s alleged experience is now another addition to a lawsuit from motorcycle groups claiming police violated their civil rights.
“There's everything from sexual assault to police brutality, and it's sad,” said attorney Stephen Stubbs. “It's horrible. It's horrifying.”
More than 30 plaintiffs are suing the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, the North Las Vegas Police Department and now two members of the Boulder City Police Department.
Stubbs cites an email from Boulder City's police chief as just one piece of evidence.
“Specifically asking the judge to treat the motorcyclists differently and to take no plea deals,” said Stubbs. “He wanted to throw the book at them.”
Frongillo said she’s determined no one else will face fear from police like she said she did.
“I felt like, that if I didn't comply that maybe they would have arrested us or you know, I didn't know what would happen,” said Frongillo.
Stubbs said the motorcycle clubs are only suing two Boulder City Police Department members because evidence indicates only they participated in alleged civil rights violations.
Stubbs said in an email, “the motorcycle clubs do not think it is right to hold the entire City of Boulder City liable.”
He added “this is very different than Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and North Las Vegas Police Department, which have multiple officers involved in the violations.”
The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and the North Las Vegas Police Department said it is policy not to comment on pending lawsuits.
The Boulder City Police Chief said he has not yet seen the lawsuit and declined comment.
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