Quite a few ladies who had been detained within the San Francisco County Jail have accused the division of violating their rights after being subjected to a mass strip search that prosecutors mentioned had been used “for coaching” functions.
Practically 20 ladies have accused the San Francisco sheriff’s workplace of forcing them to strip bare within the county jail on Might 22, 2025, and instances earlier than and after that date, whereas male deputies watched and cracked jokes.
The federal class motion lawsuit was filed Friday in the US District Courtroom for Northern District of California. The swimsuit was filed in opposition to the town and county of San Francisco, the SF County Sheriff’s Division, SF County Sheriff and a number of other members of the division, per the criticism obtained by The Submit.
The ladies alleged that whereas they had been detained within the county jail, they had been subjected to strip searches in entrance of male deputies who allegedly taunted and filmed them. Prosecutors claimed that this was not accidentally and “it was deliberate,” per the criticism.
The plaintiffs embody ladies who had been strip-searched earlier than Might 22, ladies who had been strip-searched through the mass operation on Might 22, and girls who had been subjected to “suspicionless post-movement strip searches within the months that adopted,” the criticism learn.
The ladies claimed they weren’t solely pressured to strip bare in entrance of different ladies however that this additionally allegedly occurred whereas deputies wore body-worn cameras and recorded the searches.
“A number of plaintiffs heard Sergeant Ibarra, the supervising officer, explicitly instruct Deputy Dockery to not deactivate her body-worn digicam through the searches,” per the criticism.
“When Dockery requested whether or not she ought to flip her digicam off, Ibarra mentioned no. Ibarra later informed detainees the footage may be ‘used for coaching functions.’”
The criticism goes on to allege that Ibarra “informed ladies the footage was much like what they ‘see on YouTube’ and was ‘identical to ‘Cops’” the TV present.
The San Francisco Sheriff’s Workplace (SFSO) states that strip searches should be performed outdoors the view of anybody not concerned and that no male employees are current when ladies are searched.
The swimsuit additionally claimed that when varied ladies both complained or filed grievances concerning the strip searches they had been allegedly retaliated in opposition to.
“After plaintiffs LaSonya Wells and Alexcis Herrera organized different ladies to file tort claims, each had been positioned in segregation inside every week,” the criticism learn.
“Sergeant Ibarra straight threatened continued strip searches in November 2025 except ladies ceased what he referred to as ‘disrespecting deputies.’”
The swimsuit was filed by lawyer’s: Elizabeth Bertolino, Molly Ryan, Anthony Label, and Michael Christian.
Chatting with Mission Native in November, one of many ladies allegedly subjected to the strip searches talked concerning the trauma she nonetheless feels from it.
“I’m nonetheless having nightmares about it,” one of many ladies informed the outlet.
In November, the SFSO issued a press release that “acceptable personnel motion was taken” following the quite a few allegations.
“The conduct described is deeply regarding and doesn’t mirror the insurance policies, procedures, or skilled requirements we require of our employees,” the division informed KTVU.
“We need to acknowledge the ladies who got here ahead. Each criticism raised inside our services is taken significantly, and we stay dedicated to making sure that each one people in our care are handled with dignity, respect, and in full accordance with our insurance policies and procedures.”
The ladies are searching for “compensatory damages for all constitutional and statutory violations” from issues resembling alleged emotional misery, trauma, bodily accidents, lack of work assignments, and so on, per the criticism.
The Submit reached out to the San Francisco County Sheriff’s Workplace for additional remark.
