Woman Claims Officers Enticed Her To Show Breasts
POSTED: 9:39 am EDT July 11,
2007
UPDATED: 11:41 am EDT July 11,
2007
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Two officers with the Columbus Police Department are under investigation after a woman claimed they told her to expose her breasts so that her boyfriend would avoid going to jail.The alleged incident occurred during the early-morning hours of March 11 near bars and nightclubs in the Arena District, NewsChannel5 partner ONN reported.Stephanie Baker said that she was with her boyfriend, Matt Selhorst, when they were approached by officers Scott Shepard and Donny Smith.According to an internal affairs report, the officers ran Selhorst's license plate number and discovered that he was wanted on a warrant. Baker claimed that Shepard motioned her to her boyfriend's car and asked, "Have you been flashing anyone tonight?"Baker, 22, told internal affairs investigators that Shepard informed her about the warrant and said they could place her under arrest. Baker admitted that she was "freaked out" over the possibility of going to jail, so she offered the two officers money, the station reported.The officers declined the cash, but Baker said Smith then showed her a cell phone photo of a woman exposing her breasts. Baker claims she asked the officers if they wanted her to flash them, and Smith allegedly said, "Well, yeah. I think that's a totally fair deal."Baker said she did show the officers her breasts before returning to her car.Until charges are officially filed, Columbus police refused to comment on the case.Meanwhile, the officers in question have both been placed on desk duty and remain under the representation of the Fraternal Order of Police."We at the FOP are representing them, as with all investigations involving an FOP member," FOP President Jim Gilbert said. "It is our responsibility to represent those FOP members."Shepard and Smith could face departmental charges for conduct unbecoming an officer, and for failing make an arrest on the outstanding warrant against Baker's boyfriend.
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