The emblem of the Greenville County Sheriff's Office is seen on a deputy's cruiser. (File/FOX Carolina)GREENVILLE, SC (AP/FOX Carolina) -
The South Carolina chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union is accusing the Greenville County Sheriff's Office of making routine and unlawful arrests of suspected prostitutes and men who have sex with other men.
ACLU Executive Director Victoria Middleton said the organization has sent a letter to the sheriff's office, seeking an end to the practice.
Middleton says the ACLU knows of incidents where undercover officers approach people parked in their cars, sitting on their porches or walking down the street, and ask them to engage in illegal sexual activity. Middleton says the individuals are arrested, even when they decline to engage or seek lawful private sexual contact.
Middleton said the operations are a waste of taxpayer dollars.
A spokesman for the sheriff's office said he has seen the information about the letter online, but has not received any official notification from the ACLU. He said he will not comment on the letter until he has had a chance to review it.
Copyright 2012 FOX Carolina (Meredith Corporation). All rights reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
