PROBE BEGUN IN DEPUTIES' OFF-DUTY FIGHT : OFFICERS STILL ON JOB AFTER BIKINI BAR INCIDENT.

Byline: Bhavna Mistry Daily News Staff Writer

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department has opened an inquiry into a report that at least two off-duty deputies were involved in a fight at a local bikini bar.

The deputies, whose names were not released, are continuing to work their regularly assigned duties while the department's Internal Affairs Bureau looks into the Dec. 1 incident at Snooky's in the 42600 block of Sierra Highway, according to Lt. Joe Gutierrez.

``Currently, the incident is under investigation,'' Gutierrez said. ``If there is a violation of law, they will be disciplined.''

``It's against the law to fight,'' Gutierrez added. ``And if the deputies started it, they may face discipline.''

According to Gutierrez, the discipline can range from a written reprimand to a formal discharge.

Snooky's owner John Tarry said that his employees called the Lancaster sheriff's station when the deputies refused to leave after what he described as ``a scuffle'' between the deputies and other patrons at the bar, which features entertainment by bikini-clad dancers. No one was injured.

Tarry said the altercation began inside and continued after bouncers escorted the parties outside. Bar employees called police when the customers refused to leave. Tarry said some of the patrons had mentioned that they were deputies.

The off-duty deputies were gone when patrol deputies arrived, Gutierrez said. But authorities were able to trace the off-duty deputies because an employee wrote down their car license plate number before they left.