Stacy Bonds, the 27-year-old make-up artist who was shown in a surveillance video being kneed in the back and having her shirt and bra cut off while in custody, is suing the Ottawa police force for $1.2 million.

The lawsuit was filed Friday afternoon. The defendants include the Ottawa Police Services Board and Vern White, chief of the police force.

The suit also names several officers as defendants, including Special Constable Melanie Morris, who's shown in the video kneeing Bonds in the back, and Sgt. Steven Desjourdy, who later cuts off her shirt and bra.

Bonds' statement of claim includes allegations that have not been proven in court. It states that police violated her Charter rights, based on "the simple fact that they came close to torturing her," said her lawyer Sean Dewart.

"What we've seen here came close to sadism if it wasn't sadism," he said.

Bonds also accuses police of discriminating against her because she is a black woman.

"Race, class, and gender had something to do with it," Dewart said.

The Ottawa resident is seeking $1.2 million in damages, as well as the destruction of all records relating to the incident, which took place in 2008.

Among other things, the statement of claim also states that Bonds suffered "two shattering blows" to her side, was subjected to "a highly intrusive, unnecessary and unlawful search," and suffered "emotional and physical trauma."

She was originally facing charges of public intoxication and assault. However, Justice Richard Lajoie stayed those charges after seeing the video.

Morris has been reassigned to administrative duties while an investigation is conducted. Ottawa police say they have added additional supervision to the cell bloc where the incident took place, and have hired a security consultant to review police training.

They have also reportedly hired an Ottawa-based public relations firm for $40,000 to help repair the force's image.

Eli el Chantry, head of the police services board, was travelling abroad but spoke to CTV News by phone.

"The focus we have as a police service now (is) to get to the bottom of what's happening there," Chantry said. "I can't specifically on the lawsuit itself, but it's unfortunate to happen in the first place."

Those named in the lawsuit have 20 days to file a statement of defence.

Meanwhile, Ontario's special investigations unit is looking into the matter and is expected to release its findings in the coming days.

With a report from CTV Ottawa's Joanne Schnurr and files from The Canadian Press