Rapid City sued for allowing women to strip search men
Rape suspect claims female police employees observed, handled penis
A South Dakota man has filed suit against Rapid City, alleging that police violated his rights when it allowed two female employees to strip search him.
William Belt’s lawsuit also names Michelle Paulson, a Rapid City Police Department forensic examiner who conducted the strip search.
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The Rapid City Police Department has a policy that allows men to strip search women and women to strip search men, the lawsuit alleges. On Aug. 17, 2021, Paulson conducted a strip search of Belt after he was in police custody. Another female department employee observed the search, but had no more involvement other than observing, the lawsuit contends.
The search required Belt to remove his pants and underpants, allowing Paulson to handle his penis.
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