A Groton woman and her girlfriend have filed a lawsuit against the Honolulu police department after they say an off-duty officer harassed them for kissing and holding hands while in a supermarket and then arrested them following an altercation.

Courtney Wilson, 25, of Groton and Taylor Guerrero of San Pedro, Calif., filed the suit against Officer Bobby Harrison, a 26-year veteran of the force, and the city of Honolulu last week.

According to the suit, the couple were in Hawaii on vacation when in the early afternoon of March 3 they entered a supermarket where Harrison was in uniform and shopping.

While walking down the aisles holding hands, they stopped at one point to hug and kiss, according to the suit. That’s when Harrison allegedly ordered them to stop and “take it somewhere else.”

The suit states the couple complied and continued to shop out of sight of the officer. Shortly afterward, Harrison saw them “engaged in similar activity” and ordered them to stop and threatened to have them thrown out of the store. He then encouraged the store manager to issue them trespass warnings. The suit states the couple believe his actions were motivated by his “discriminatory animus toward gay/same-sex couples.”

As the couple were in the checkout line, the suit alleges, Harrison confronted them, saying the store was going to issue a notice barring them from the premises and ordered them out of line.

Wilson then “voiced her displeasure,” called 911 to report Harrison’s actions and tried to go outside to describe their location. The suit states Harrison then seized her and prevented her from completing the call. When Guerrero tried to get between Harrison and Wilson, the suit charges, Harrison pushed her to the ground and struck Wilson, who said Harrison punched her in the face. The women then fought with the officer, whose glasses were broken, according to media reports.

Wilson and Guerrero were then placed in restraints. They were arrested and held for two days before they could post bond. They were ordered to remain in Hawaii for several months while on bond. Charges of assault on a law enforcement officer were later dismissed.

The suit states that Wilson and Guerrero believe “Harrison’s acts were committed with the intent to discriminate against them on the basis of their sexual preference.”

Wilson's mother, Sara, said Sunday her daughter was currently not at their Groton home. She referred comment to her daughter, who could not be immediately reached Sunday night. NBC, which along with CNN and other media outlets has broadcast stories about the couple’s suit following a press conference last Wednesday, said they remain in Hawaii.

Honolulu police have said they have opened an internal investigation but could not comment further about pending litigation.

j.wojtas@theday.com

Twitter: @joewojtas