A group of women incarcerated at the San Francisco County Jail has claimed their rights were violated due to mass strip searches, which prosecutors allege were conducted for “training” purposes.
Nearly twenty women have stated that they were forced to undress in front of male officers, who reportedly made jokes and filmed the incidents on several occasions, including before and after May 22, 2025.
A federal class action lawsuit was filed on Friday in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California against the City and County of San Francisco, the Sheriff’s Department, and several officials within the department, as detailed in the complaint obtained by a news source.
The women allege they endured strip searches while being watched by male deputies, who not only taunted them but also recorded the searches. Prosecutors argue such behavior was intentional, as stated in the complaint.
The lawsuit names women subjected to strip searches both before May 22 and during a mass operation on that date, as well as those who faced “post-movement” strip searches in the months that followed.
According to the complaint, the women were not only forced to strip in front of other female inmates but also while officers operated body-worn cameras designed to record the searches.
“Multiple plaintiffs heard instructions from Sergeant Ybarra, specifically telling Deputy Dockery not to turn off the body cameras during the searches,” the complaint notes.
When Dockery inquired about whether the cameras should be disabled, Ybarra reportedly replied no, later telling the detainee that the footage was for “training purposes.”
The complaint also mentions that Ybarra likened the footage to content they might see on YouTube or the TV show ‘Cops.’
The San Francisco Sheriff’s Office (SFSO) has stated that strip searches are supposed to be conducted discreetly, with no male officers present during searches of women.
The lawsuit includes claims of retaliation against women who voiced concerns or filed complaints about the strip searches.
“Plaintiffs LaSonya Wells and Alexis Herrera worked together to encourage others to file tort claims, and shortly after, they were placed in isolation,” the lawsuit claims.
In a concerning instance mentioned in the lawsuit, Officer Ybarra allegedly threatened to continue the strip searches unless a woman ceased what he described as “disrespectful conduct towards members of Congress.”
The lawsuit is being represented by attorneys including Elizabeth Bertolino, Molly Ryan, Anthony Lovell, and Michael Christian.
One of the women who was allegedly strip-searched shared her ongoing trauma, stating, “I still have nightmares.”
In November, the SFSO issued a statement asserting that “appropriate personnel actions” were taken regarding the allegations, emphasizing that the described conduct is “deeply disturbing” and does not adhere to the expected standards of professionalism.
The department expressed gratitude to the women coming forward and reiterated its commitment to treating all individuals in their care with dignity and respect, in line with their policies and procedures.
The women are seeking damages for what they describe as constitutional and statutory violations, which include emotional distress, trauma, physical injury, and lost work. The newspaper has contacted the San Francisco County Sheriff’s Office for further comments.
