Tampa police spent money on booze, lap dances during undercover probe, review board says

Tampa police officers working undercover allegedly treated themselves to lap dances – plus drinks for themselves and dancers – during an undercover operation last year at a strip club in the city, an internal investigation found, according to a report on Tuesday. 

Sgt. Daniel Rhodes, supervisor of the operation, – which cost the department’s investigatory fund $421 –  said the goal was to locate drug suspects and gather intelligence on a shooting suspect who had ties to one of the dancers, according to FOX 13 of Tampa.  But over the course of three hours, an unspecified number of officers spent the money on cover charges, along with drinks for themselves, dancers, and the dancers’ friends. Each officer also bought a own lap dance, according to the station.