Marek Mazurek
South Bend Tribune
SOUTH BEND, Ind. — The prosecutor will file no criminal charges after female firefighters with the South Bend Fire Department found a hidden camera in the locker room of a department fire station last year.
St. Joseph County Prosecutor Ken Cotter announced Friday it is likely someone tried to record the female firefighters’ locker room, but detectives were unable to determine who placed the camera there.
“There are strong indications that someone may have attempted to commit the crime of voyeurism,” Cotter said in a press release. “However, the investigation was unable to identify who had placed that recording device in the women’s locker room and uncover whether any recordings were actually made. While we are unable to file any criminal charges, I applaud the courage of the female firefighters who stepped forward and the investigators who worked hard on this case.”
The investigation into the hidden camera started in June, two months after female members of the South Bend Fire Department sent a letter to city leaders urging them to address what they say is a longstanding culture of sexual harassment and discrimination within the fire department.
After learning of the recording device, the county’s Special Victims Unit passed the case to Indiana State Police to “avoid the appearance of impropriety” as South Bend police officers were assigned to the SVU. ISP investigators were briefly delayed in September while waiting on subpoenaed results from an internet service provider and first forwarded their findings to the prosecutor’s office in October.
During a meeting with the female firefighters that month, prosecutors were given additional information and continued the investigation, but ultimately could not uncover the owner of the camera, according to the release.
In a written statement, South Bend spokesman Caleb Bauer said the fire department is now conducting an internal investigation into the matter.
“The City of South Bend is grateful for the work of the St. Joseph County Prosecutor’s Office and Indiana State Police to investigate this disturbing case,” the statement read. “The city and South Bend Fire Department take seriously the commitment to ensure a safe workplace for all employees. Now that the criminal investigation has concluded, the city will work to complete its investigation to determine if any department policies were violated and will take appropriate action accordingly.”
The incident with the hidden camera comes on the heels of allegations of sexual harassment and discrimination within the fire department made by female firefighters. In April, all 12 female firefighters wrote a letter to the mayor’s office, Fire Chief Carl Buchanon and the Board of Public Safety expressing anger that a South Bend fire captain was given a “slap on the wrist” after he allegedly verbally harassed and hit a female firefighter on the head in December at Station 8 in Twyckenham Hills. She said he also blocked her from leaving the confrontation.
“You have failed us,” the letter said. “The fire department administration, the city, and the Board of Public Safety have failed the women of the South Bend Fire Department. We come to work expecting a workplace free of harassment and violence, yet when it occurs it is treated like a slap on the wrist, even when the accused captain freely admits to the actions ... and this was his third offense!”
The captain received 24 hours of unpaid leave on Buchanon’s recommendation, according to Board of Public Safety records. The records make no mention of physical contact or blocking the firefighter’s escape.
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