PATERSON - A transgender woman from Bayonne claims she was humiliated when an off-duty sheriff's officer and employees at a local grocery store accused her of shoplifting and forced her to show her private parts.

"I need to see what's in your pants," the officer said three times during the May 12 incident, according to a lawsuit filed last month in Hudson County Superior Court.

The officer, identified as "John Doe" and wearing an Essex County sheriff's uniform, was working security at Food Fair on Market Street in Paterson when he approached the woman about 10 p.m. and made the demands, the suit states.

"In response to the officer's demands, plaintiff stated she is a female who identifies as a transgender woman and wears a prosthetic penis," the suit states.

The officer told the woman and the store manager he would call a female officer to inspect the woman's pants, the suit claims.

The woman tried to leave, but the officer insisted he needed to inspect her pants, the suit states.

At this point, the woman "began begging for help and felt scared, humiliated, intimidated and abused," the suit states, adding that she sought help from a cashier "to no avail."

"Shockingly, rather than wait for a female police officer to arrive, a female cashier was called to conduct an invasive inspection," the suit states.

Attorney Thomas A. McKinney of Morristown, who filed the suit, said his client was born a woman and is in the process of transitioning into a man.

"Plaintiff identifies as a transgender woman who wears a prosthetic penis," McKinney states in the suit.

"My understanding is that (the officer) saw something in her pants, which was the prosthetic device, and thought she took something from the store and was hiding it," McKinney said. "She didn't steal anything. She didn't touch a single thing in that store."

The inspection took place in a store restroom, McKinney states in the suit.

"During this inspection, plaintiff showed the cashier the prosthetic penis and her vagina," the suit states.

As the woman walked out of the restroom crying, the officer said, "I am so sorry," the lawsuit states.

The suit alleges the officer and store employees falsely imprisoned the woman and violated state anti-discrimination laws. In addition, the suit accuses the unnamed officer of aiding and abetting discrimination by encouraging the inspection.

The woman claims she suffered and continues to suffer from emotional distress, pain and other ailments.

The suit seeks a jury trial, along with compensatory damages, punitive damages and attorneys' fees.

"We know nothing about this nor have we been served with papers," said Kevin Lynch, spokesman for the Essex County Sheriff's Office.

Lynch questioned whether the unnamed officer even works for the county.

Calls to Food Fair were not returned Friday morning.

Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook.