The Lakeland police officer put on leave after a "bra shaking" case had to be protected by the agency after his personal information was released to the public.
According to the agency, Officer Dustin Fetz, who pulled a woman over May 21 and asked her to shake her bra during a drug search, was put on paid leave for four days. After the incident, authorities provided protection for the officer because someone released Fetz's personal information to the public.
"We have requested the appropriate agency to do directed patrols in his area," said Lakeland Police Chief Lisa Womack.
According to reports, the Fetz asked Zoe Brugger and her boyfriend for permission to search the vehicle when he pulled them over.
When they denied his request, Fetz escorted Brugger behind the car, where he asked her to lift her shirt above her stomach, pull her bra away from her chest and shake it out. Unsatisfied with her first attempt, he made her shake her bra a second time.
No drugs were found on Brugger, but the officer persisted in searching the car - even after she withdrew her consent.
When the vehicle search turned up no drugs, he gave her a ticket. Brugger told the state attorney's office that Fetz told her, "I'm done scaring you, and now you can go home."
Fetz told investigators that the bra-shaking search is a known technique that is used by some Lakeland officers, but he could not recall ever formally being trained to do this.
The department is reviewing its policies.
State Attorney Jerry Hill wrote the Department saying Officer Dustin Fetz's request for Zoe Brugger to shake her bra to free any hidden drugs was "demeaning."
Hill went on to say the method used on the May 21 traffic stop was also ineffective and dangerous.