Ottawa police in strip-search case named in lawsuit

Two Ottawa police officers involved in the controversial strip search of a 27-year-old woman are being named in a lawsuit by another woman who says she was injured while in custody.

Roxanne Carr, 42, has filed a notice of action against eight officers and the Ottawa Police Services Board.

Carr is suing police for "personal injury" — although the nature of the injury is unclear, as her lawyer, Lawrence Greenspon, has yet to file a formal statement of claim outlining his client's version of the facts and the restitution she is seeking.

Carr's criminal defence lawyer said her case is being looked into by the Special Investigations Unit, the Ontario police watchdog that investigates incidents in which civilians have been seriously hurt or killed in interactions with police.

Carr was arrested and charged with mischief, resisting arrest and assaulting a peace officer on Aug. 23, 2008.

Her arrest came a month before that of Stacy Bonds, who was subjected to a strip search after being arrested for public intoxication.

Two of the officers named in Carr's suit, Special Const. Melanie Morris and Sgt. Steven Desjourdy, were involved in the strip search of Bonds on Sept. 26, 2008.

The search was filmed by a surveillance camera in the cell area at the Elgin Street police headquarters and released to the Ottawa Citizen newspaper last week by Justice Richard Lajoie of the Ontario Court of Justice.

'Systemic problem'

The footage shows four officers leading Bonds to the cell area. Morris is shown kneeing a struggling Bonds twice while Desjourdy enters the room later and is shown cutting off Bonds's shirt and bra.

Greenspon said his office deals with a complaint every week from someone who claims they've been mistreated by Ottawa police.

"Certainly, from the number of complaints and the seriousness of them, it's clear there is a problem — there's a systemic problem, and Stacy Bonds and Roxanne Carr are not just two extraordinary examples," said Greenspon.

"They are, rather, individuals who have come to the public's attention as an indication of a systemic problem within the police in this city."

Carr could not be reached for comment. Bonds is also considering taking legal action.

Her case has generated headlines across the country. Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty said that while he hasn't viewed the video, he is "very, very troubled" by what he has heard.

None of the allegations against Morris, Desjourdy or any of the other officers involved in Bonds's case has been proven in court.