POLICE DEFEND STRIPPING AND SEARCHING 11-YEAR-OLD

A Perth mother has complained to the state ombudsman after police strip
searched her 11-year-old daughter during a drug raid on the family home
earlier this month.

Sue Thornton said her daughter was traumatised by the experience two weeks
ago when she was told to take-off her underpants in the presence of a
policewoman.

"My little girl's lost all dignity and respect for police, she's
traumatised," Ms Thornton told radio 6PR.

"There's a destruction of trust and security there, she's innocent".

But Superintendent Fred Zamagi of Mirrabooka district defended police
procedures during the raid, saying that they were entitled to search anyone
they reasonably suspected was in possession of drugs.

Six police officers raided the home in Bayswater with a drug search warrant
about 3pm on January 19 acting on a tip-off about Ms Thornton's 20-year-old
son who was caring for his sister at the time.

No drugs were found but the 20-year-old was charged with possession of
implements for smoking drugs, fraud and possession of stolen property.

"There was a reasonable suspicion that the particular female may have had
some possession of drugs," Supt Zamagi said.

"...that is why an examination was carried out of this female, because she
wanted to go to the toilet and prior to going to the toilet we had a
policewoman attend and search her.

"No doubt it seems a bit unusual. But it's not unusual in our eyes because
we have found young people as young as 10 years of age in possession of
drugs."

Supt Zamagi said a 10-year-old boy had recently been found with cannabis
hidden in his crotch after being searched at the Nollamara police station.
Police had also found drugs hidden in babies' prams and nappies.

Ms Thornton said she was annoyed that she was at work five minutes away and
police did not contact her about the search.

She said her daughter's room was not searched, but she was asked to strip
in the laundry of the family home.

"She was padded down and then her T-shirt was removed, and then her boxer
shorts and her knickers were taken down," she said.

Ms Thornton said her daughter wanted to go to the toilet but had to wait
for a policewoman to arrive.

"She was effectively arrested, she was denied her liberty," Ms Thornton said.

But Supt Zamagi said it was unnecessary to contact Ms Thornton as the girl
was in the care of her brother.

A senior police officer would investigate the complaint and report to the
Internal Investigation Unit (IIU) which would in turn report to the
ombudsman, he said.