Naughty Cops Caught on Video
February 7, 2008
From NBC News

It would be pretty tame as an episode of "Girls Gone Wild," but surveillance video of what happened at Elkhart, Indiana Police headquarters last Thanksgiving was hot enough for two workers to lose their jobs.

While we've heard about behavior termed "inappropriate" between police department employees and a female visitor, only now is the public getting a look at what all the fuss was about.

It all started early Thanksgiving morning when a woman with dark hair, a white shirt, and denim mini skirt and white boots entered the lobby of the Elkhart Police headquarters.

The entire episode was recorded by two separate surveillance cameras, although there was no audio.

The woman in question was not under arrest.

"She was just waiting on transportation I believe," said Assistant Chief Timothy Balyeat, "she resided in Chicago and was waiting on somebody to come pick her up."

At one point, one of the men working behind the front desk gives the woman a drink.

Not all the friendly gestures were so innocent.

At about 4:04 a.m. the woman stepped into a room to the side of the front desk.

Through an open door, the security camera shows body contact and inappropriate touching between the woman and at least one police worker.

The images indicate that pictures are being taken, and at one point it appears the woman's skirt is pulled up to her waist.

Around 4:15 a.m. the woman climbs onto the counter at the front desk.

At least two of the three males behind the desk appear to take pictures with camera phones.

One even walks out from behind the counter and enters the lobby so he can take a picture from behind.

"Everybody played their little part. It was just wrong all the way around," said Balyeat.

The Elkhart County Prosecutor has finished reviewing the video.

While Curtis Hill concluded that the conduct was "unbecoming, inappropriate, and otherwise an embarrassment to the department," he also determined that the conduct did not warrant the filing of criminal charges.

Balyeat said he was happy to "close this chapter and get on with regular business."

He said that the police department did a good job of policing itself, and "we're moving on."

Earlier in the day, the woman was traveling in a vehicle on the Indiana Toll Road when the driver was arrested for drunk driving.

She was brought to the police department as a courtesy, and was trying to arrange transportation back home.