US: Cops Spent Money On Booze, Lap Dances During Undercover Probe But Made No Arrests

A probe that lead to nowhere! Police officers in US' Florida spent hundreds of dollars on drinks, cigarettes and lap dances during an undercover operation at a strip club, but made no arrests.

Details of the undercover operation at the Gold Club in Tampa, Florida, were discussed during a Citizens Review Board hearing on Tuesday, Fox News reported. Sgt. Daniel Rhodes was suspended for a day and removed from the department¡¯s Street Anti-Crime Squad following the internal probe.

Credit: Joe Raedle

¡°The officers advised they spent the money on the cover charge, drinks for themselves, drinks for the dancers, drinks for the dancer¡¯s friends, shots for the bartender, a pack of cigarettes, cover charge for the ¡®lap dance area¡¯ and one lap dance each,¡± according to the report obtained by New York Post.

The internal affairs report says officers didn¡¯t receive any intelligence and gave conflicting reports as to what they were investigating. The officers also made no arrests during the ¡°alleged fake operation,¡± the report found.

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The undercover operation at Gold Club in Ybor City back in 2020 cost the department¡¯s investigatory fund $421 (Rs 31,000).

Over three hours, an unspecified number of officers spent it on cover charges and drinks for themselves, dancers, and the dancers¡¯ friends.

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The board signed off on the report¡¯s findings, but one member questioned whether Rhodes ¡ª who remains employed as a sergeant ¡ª was disciplined severely enough.

¡°The penalty or the violation of a one-day suspension and moving him around does not look like it is enough for what he did,¡± board member Carolyn Collins said.