Dominatrix scandal rocks a police department

(Greenburgh-WABC, February 3, 2006) - A scandal involving a dominatrix rocks a police department in the Westchester County town of Greenburgh -- and now several officers are under investigation.

One cop has been suspended, four others reassigned and the street crime unit has been taken off the street, after a dominatrix claims she was the victim of sexual harassment.

Eyewitness News Reporter Tim Fleischer is in Greenburgh with the story.

The fallout, up to this point, one officer with the street crimes unit has already been suspended without pay. This also comes after stunning allegations of misconduct against a dominatrix.

Greenburgh Police headquaters are stung by allegations of inappropriate conduct against officers by a 31-year-old woman who makes her living in bondage and S&ampM.

"You cannot justify the inappropriateness in any manner shape or form," said Greenburgh Police Chief John Kapica.

"There was behavior on the part of the police that one would characterize as unprofessional both at the scene and later at the station house," said defense attorney Tony Castro.

The woman -- 31-year-old Gina Annenoel Pane sitting in a car in the parking lot of a movie theater was arrested and charged with marijuana use. But after officers spotted what the chief describes as sex toys in the car, an officer allegedly began making comments of a sexual nature.

And then back at police headquarters, after she revealed to officers in a report that she was a dominatrix by profession, she alleges inappropriate behavior continued -- some of it caught on video tape.

"At least what we've seen did not reveal any improprieties on the part of the officers in that they didn't do anything that I would deem to be inappropriate," Kapica said.

Information she provided to police links her to a web site where she discuses services and favorite activities that includes domination.

But police reveal one more stunning detail:

"Another officer had met her afterwards and had done things that were inappropriate, if not criminal," Kapica added.

And in addition to the investigation at the police department, the district attorney's public integrity unit is also investigating these allegations.