'I kissed her breasts... there was nowhere else for my face to go': Undercover vice squad disbanded after officers violate 'no touching' policy

The Salt Lake City vice squad has been disbanded after a number of detectives apparently became too close to the alleged prostitutes they were investigating.



Despite a strict 'no touching' policy implemented last year, some officers had inappropriate contact with their targets in an effort to convince them they were genuine customers.



One even kissed a prostitute's breasts after soliciting sex from her as part of a vice sting.



Disbanded: The Salt Lake City vice squad has been abolished following a string of embarrassing blunders during prostitution investigations

In May 2011, the city's police department introduced a new policy which prohibited undercover detectives from touching women being investigated on suspicion of prostitution, according to the Salt Lake Tribune .



Nonetheless, in December one officer reported to his superiors that he had had sexual contact with a prostitute, but claimed he had no choice.

'I kissed her breasts and nipples, as there was no place for my face to go,' he told the force's civilian review board.



However, the board ruled that this was 'conduct unbecoming', as the detective did not have to kiss the woman.



Target: This massage parlour is believed to have been under suspicion

On the very same day as that officer found himself in a sticky situation, another detective had a similar encounter with a masseuse who was under investigation.

As she was giving him a massage, he touched her genitalia - and she complained to the review board that he had sexually assaulted her, though no criminal charges were brought.

Chief: City police boss Chris Burbank says vice investigations will continue

In October, a different policeman touched the leg of a masseuse while asking her to give him a topless massage, though she refused to perform any sex acts on him.



The vice squad was also reprimanded for performing an illegal search on a massage parlour which violated suspects' Fourth Amendment rights.



They claimed to be searching the property for people, but started rooting through objects and looking in women's purses while they were doing it.



The review board suggested that pressure from authorities to make as many arrests as possible could be to blame for the over-zealous policing.



Salt Lake City police chief Chris Burbank said that crimes formerly handled by the vice squad would now be investigated by a variety of other units of the force.

