Sheriff defends detectives receiving oral sex in prostitution stings.

[Clarkie1]

Friday, February 17, 2006; Posted: 5:14 p.m. EST (22:14 GMT)

Sheriff Howard Smith will no longer allow his officers to pay for sex when making prostitution busts.

Spotsylvania County Sheriff Howard Smith made the announcement after his officers spent $1,200 at massage parlors last month and sparked a public outcry.

Smith defended the practice as necessary to obtain a conviction but told his department he was suspending it.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/LAW/02/17/sex.cops.ap/index.html

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. How could they be paying for sex?

I mean, if they go to a massage parlor and find out more than massages are going on, don't they bust the place then and there? And if they haven't paid yet, then they aren't out any money. If, to make the bust, money must change hands-that money becomes eveidence in a trial, right? But it can go back in the vice budget once the trial is over, I'd think.

[Clarkie1]

2. The proof is oral sex performed on the officiers.

That's the controversy and what the sheriff is saying is necessary to secure convictions in court.

[Yupster]

12. What if they get a massage

and no sex or offer occurs?

Then the cop has to pay for the massage I'd guess. Maybe that's where the money went.

[htuttle]

3. I'd have to think there are some public health concerns here

I mean, they aren't even wearing hair nets!

[HysteryDiagnosis]

5. I've seen hair nests...... but very few hair nets in that line of

work....

[ugarte]

4. A tough job but somebody's gotta do it

:rofl:

[Vidar]

6. Normally wouldn't say it, but biting is justified in this case.

[IowaGuy]

19. so in court....would we be,,,,uh,,,,

comparing dental records to the evidence at hand, so to speak...

[roguevalley]

7. these asses are guilty of soliciting prostitution and if I was on a jury,

I would not convict the girls and their pimp. This is sooo completely bullshit, I am stunned. For a cop to even TOUCH a prostitute negates the crime in 50 states as far as I know. This is crap. I would KILL my old man if he was a vice cop. They have now tainted their entire department.

[TheWraith]

21. Not at all the case.

It's perfectly legal for a cop to touch a prostitute in the process of a bust. Otherwise, all the prostitute would have to do is say "touch my boob" to weed out any undercover cops. Anything to the contrary is a myth.

[Jersey Ginny]

26. I had a mental health clt who worked in a massage parlor-she said

that she would tell the guy to touch himself to start off the illegal part of her work. If he wouldn't do this, then she assumed he was a cop. She said the cops couldn't touch themselves. Since my life is very far away from this "industry" I thought that was interesting. Maybe there are local laws for this. I just wonder about the mates of these guys.

[NanceGreggs]

8. Do these cops also have to shoot-up and get high ...

... to prove they've been sold crack?

Just wonderin' ...

[Gman]

9. You've got to admire the tremendous dedication of these officers

to their jobs.... NOT!

Actually, they were being very typical cops. They had a chance to go get serviced by a prostitute and the county pays for it. No doubt their response was, "What a job!" when asked about the quality of the services of the prostitute as well as their satisfaction level with their employment.

There is a microns thin line between a cop and a criminal. The only difference is that one has a badge.

[IowaGuy]

18. From the mentality to the morality....too often just a different ...

gang wearing different colors....

[saigon68]

29. I'm glad I'm safe from these prostitutes

These heroes in blue are cleaning up the streets for CHILDREN </SARCASM>

[Bigmack]

10. It's Clinton's fault!!

Nobody even heard of oral sex before Clinton.

Now Bill has subverted law enforcement.

:sarcasm:

[BR_Parkway]

11. This benefit package saves the county a ton of cash on insurance and

vacation time that they used to have to offer to atrtract recruits

[951-Riverside]

13. Contact info for Sheriff Coward Smith and Gov. Tim Kaine

Sheriff Howard Smith email is [e-mail]
His number is [phone]**

**At the main menu press *(Star) wait 4 secs then press #(Pound) to enter the last name of the person you would like to reach, enter (76484) for Smith then press #.

You can contact Gov. Tim Kaine's (D) office @ [phone] or email @ http://www.governor.virginia.gov/AboutTheGovernor/contactGovernor.cfm

[VegasWolf]

14. Oral sex is not really sex!!!!!

:evilgrin::evilgrin::evilgrin::evilgrin::evilgrin::evilgrin::evilgrin::evilgrin:

[ToolTex]

15. Which kind of "is" is that?

n/t

[ToolTex]

16. Yeah, that is what I keep telling my cute UPS delivery man.

n/t

[IowaGuy]

17. Would they not have to present their "evidence" they collected -

in court? cross examination would be a real hoot...

[Tsiyu]

20. With this logic, they'll need to smoke up

to prove weed is really weed and they'll need to take a few slugs out of drivers' cups to assure themselves the liquid is really alcohol and snort that white stuff to assure themslves it is in fact cocaine.

Sounds like the officers enjoyed themselves. So maybe they can explain why it's illegal to enjoy oneself in such a way? I mean, if no harm was done to the officers from this activity IN WHICH THEY PARTOOK, then no harm is done to society at large.

Talk about having your cake and having someone eat it, too.....;)

[LostinVA]

27. One left a $350 tip... nuf said

[Judi Lynn]

22. Sex Services in Prostitution Probes Banned

Sex Services in Prostitution Probes Banned

Virginia Sheriff: No More Sexual Services for Detectives Investigating Prostitution

SPOTSYLVANIA, Va. Feb 17, 2006 (AP)— The sheriff said Friday he will no longer allow detectives to receive sexual services while investigating suspected prostitution after they spent $1,200 at massage parlors last month and sparked a public outcry.
(snip)

"As sheriff, I understand the feelings and concerns the citizens of this county have expressed," Smith said in a statement sent to The Associated Press on Friday. "And I empathize with those feelings. Because of the public's express response, I have suspended this practice."

Court documents show that four times last month, county detectives allowed women at Moon Spa to perform sex acts on them once leaving a $350 tip. A total of $1,200 was spent during the visits, Smith said. He said multiple visits were necessary so detectives could build trust with the operators.
(snip)

"All of us … have been worried about this episode tarnishing the county and making us a laughingstock of the nation," board chairman Henry "Hap" Connors told the AP Friday. "That's why I came out early on and asked the sheriff to cease using these tactics."
(snip/...)

http://abcnews.go.com/US/LegalCenter/wireStory?id=1633233&CMP=OTC-RSSFeeds0312



Spotsylvania County Sheriff Howard Smith

[AlecBGreen]

23. Virginia

named for the Virgin queen of England. Someone is rolling in their graves, thats for sure....

We need a "smilie" for utter stupidity. The need for one seems to grow every day.

[truthisfreedom]

24. there goes sombody's fun.

dang. back to the grind.

[toopers]

25. It is obvious what the sheriff's office should do.

Instead of using public resources, they should hire a private DIC to do the job!

[LostinVA]

28. BWAAAAHHHH!!!