The City of Columbus wants a federal court to dismiss a lawsuit by former strip club dancers who say they were unjustly arrested last October.
In April, six former workers at Kahoots strip club in northwest Columbus filed suit against Columbus Police officers Steven Rosser and Whitney Lancaster.
The dancers were charged under the Community Defense Act, a state law that bars dancers from touching patrons. The charges were later dropped, however the dancers allege they got in trouble because the police were retaliating against the club for firing a bouncer who says he worked with police.
Timeline: Investigation Of Columbus Police Vice Unit
In the filing, the city says the officers did not violate the woman's rights. It asks the court to rule in the city's favor and assess the costs of the lawsuit to Columbus.
Both Lancaster and Rosser worked for the now-shuttered vice unit at the time the women were charged. They were relieved of field duty in 2018 and have been assigned to desk duty.
Interim Police Chief Tom Quinlan recommended they be fired in September. That decision belongs to the city public safety director.
