Cameras in BC Police Women's Locker Room Case Settled

[XLFD]

This last week, the Battle Creek City Commission has approved a settlement in a federal lawsuit filed by four female police officers against the City of Battle Creek.  By a 7-0 vote Tuesday after a closed session, the commission approved the settlement in the case alleging the city placed cameras in the locker room for female officers in January of 2013.  Here's a copy of the complaint: 

BC Police Women v. BC Police

Long term readers of the Ludington Torch will remember the 2013 revelations of the bathroom cameras located in various public restrooms throughout the city, monitored by the Ludington Pervert Police Department (LPD), as first detailed in the whimsically entitled They See You Poo in Public.   Here was where one of their overt cameras was pointing.

But more troubling is that in three of the restrooms the city had went to the bother of opening up their ventilation covers, installing the wiring and covert cameras and pointed them in a way as to see into the stalls. 

Even more troubling was that the city leaders couldn't get their story straight:  Creep Chief Barnett said to the investigating MSP Trooper before the story went viral that the cameras hadn't even been operable for awhile

While City Man-Ogler Manager Shay to the contrary wanted to charge me over $100 to pay for editing of the coverage of those cameras for the previous weekend, when they were supposedly inoperable. 

As further detailed here:  Shooting the Sh*t with Ludington City Manager John Shay and Police ...   Now, this could have easily led to litigation to get closer to the real truth, but I, nor anyone else aggrieved of their privacy came forth to do so.  The only resolution that came about only happened when I 'threatened' to take the offensively placed cameras down about a year after their public outing, as seen in Waterfront Loo Cameras Meet Their Waterloo.  The city leaders did the proper thing after a screwdriver was figuratively held to their head.

In the Battle Creek case, the cameras were installed as (now former) Chief Jackie Hampton and police department officials were investigating reports that someone was stealing from lockers in the female locker room.  Police said they saw video of Officer Laurie Gillespie going through lockers and she was eventually fired in March 2013.

But Gillespie along with three other female officers, Jennifer McCaughna, Shawn O'Bryant and Jennifer Appl, sued the city in U.S. District Court alleging a violation of their civil rights including an unreasonable government intrusion and violation of their expectation of privacy.

Attorneys for the plaintiffs and the city disputed the legality of installing the cameras and whether the city had sought a legal opinion before they were used.  Battle Creek City Attorney Jill Steele said Wednesday the settlement was presented to the commission and approved but now will be prepared in a written document which will be public within a week. She declined comment on the settlement until then.

An attorney for the plaintiffs, Stephen Drew of Grand Rapids, declined comment until the document outlining the settlement is prepared and signed.  Only O'Bryant remains with the department. McCaughna is retired and Appl resigned in April 2013 after department officials alleged she was intoxicated at work.

(as reported at the Battle Creek Enquirer)

                                                                                  File Photo

It should also be noted that the masterminds behind the swell idea to place cameras in the policewomen's locker room have also been fired in the interim for having very inappropriate relations at work.  As noted May 16, 2014, in the article BC Cop Couple Fired:   

"Battle Creek Deputy Police Chief Jim Saylor along with Police Inspector Maria Alonso were placed on administrative leave while the city’s Human Resource Department conducted an internal investigation into allegations of an inappropriate relationship between the two that created a hostile work environment."

As to the illicit recordings, and Alonso's claims:  "The city manager says more than 100 videos were recorded in the locker room and all but two were deleted.  A CD containing the ‘deleted’ files was found later calling Alonso’s credibility into question."

The citizens of Battle Creek have not only seen a cop show based in their city cancelled this last May, they have seen a cop show in their police department that deserves a new cast or cancellation of activities.

[Willy]

Would the police officers who were involved with this peeping Tom activity be considered "hero's" ? This is amazing that such brash activity regarding employee personnel is still going on. I'm still curious about Ludington's peeping police officers and City offiicials. Have the police destroyed the videos or are they in the Chief's basement stored with his other home movie videos. If I were Mrs. Chief I would have a look see to check if Mr. Chief is still reviewing those recordings.  

[XLFD]

These shuttercops are heroes to Ludington native Eliseo Gonzalez, who was concerned about his female relative taking things from his bathroom when she showered.  Not to mention they are highly respected by  Russian olympic officials from Sochi concerned about Olympians falling while showering.  And these BC police are totally idolized by David Prawdzik, the Mt. Pleasant bank manager who was concerned about employee theft in his restrooms. 

Mr. Chief is still trying to blow up some of those photos of when I've used the bathroom to see whether I was carrying a concealed weapon.  Mrs. Chief knows the answer to that...

[shinblind]

So what is the over/under on hidden cameras in the newly remodeled Rotary Restrooms  in the awkwardly renamed Rotary Park?

Well ok, we should consider the cameras a given.

And with modern technology, no more tapes to change, now there can be a wireless feed directly into Chief Barnetts smartphone so he can monitor these ah " activities". 

[XLFD]

If I was a member of Rotary International and living in Ludington I would be wanting to claim that park for the organization because that park befits the 'rotary'.  When used as an adjective, 'rotary' means revolving around a center, or rotational, and this park effectively has a center with four spokes going around it.  I would also want to make that central feature memorable, so I hope they do something really special with the pool.

Plus, with just a little bit of 'work' (and some disguise because of the cameras) the signs could easily be made into "Rottary Park".