Hidden Camera Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting

Women’s Locker Room Hidden Camera Court Cases Scheduled For Fall

Trial dates are set involving dozens of women who fear they were viewed or recorded on a hidden West Virginia State Police locker room camera.

Wheeling Attorney Teresa Toriseva said her legal team represents almost 80 former and current female law enforcement officers and whistleblowers.

“There are other lawyers that also have cases, so that isn’t the totality of the universe,” Toriseva said. “Unfortunately, civil litigation can take several years. What I can promise you is that transparency is coming. There is so much information that I think the public is even overwhelmed by the details.”

In March 2023, West Virginia State Police admitted a video camera was placed in the state police academy women’s locker room. When and how that camera was used are the issues still in question. The civil court cases are on the docket for September, October and November in Kanawha County. Toriseva said civil litigation is the best vehicle of justice.

“It often is the only remedy and the only solution when there’s been misconduct or wrongdoing for lots of reasons,” Toriseva said. “Some of them are nefarious, some of them the way the government works, but in this case, it’s civil litigation.”

Toriseva said evidence will show the extent of actions that she said has terrorized so many women.

“Nude videos, sexual videos, on phones and computers that have been, in fact, recovered and are in the possession of authorities,” she said. We know all that and we still don’t know who, It’s absolutely terrorizing and our clients feel like the only remedy they had was civil litigation.”

In a recent interview with WVPB, State Police Superintendent Col. Jack Chambers said, amid still ongoing investigations, federal investigators say the West Virginia State Police and current members are not targets in the hidden camera probe. Chambers said since he became superintendent, just after the hidden camera issue went public, extensive and ongoing training and culture changes involve all State Police entities and individuals.

“We’ve changed everything from training hours at the Academy to accountability of hours,” Chambers told WVPB. “We put in a $450,000 security camera system in the state police academy. Just for checks and balances. To change your culture overnight, you want to try to change things as positively as you can in a progressive, positive way. I think that’s what we’re trying to do.”

Teresa Toriseva is currently a candidate for the state Attorney General.

W.Va. State Police Superintendent Announces Reforms, Changes, Upgrades

West Virginia State Police (WVSP) Col. Jack Chambers is no longer the “interim” superintendent of the agency. He is now the full-time superintendent, according to Gov. Jim Justice.

Chambers came over from the Capitol Police four months ago after former WVSP Superintendent Jan Cahill resigned amid a flurry of charges of trooper wrongdoing.

In the governor’s Wednesday briefing, Chambers addressed questions about ongoing state police investigations, including the extent of hidden camera recordings in the police academy women’s locker room. He said he has sent letters of apology to 71 women, all law enforcement officers filing lawsuits, who have used that women’s locker room in academy training.

“We did send an apology letter out to any female that may have been victimized by a hidden camera in the locker room,” Chambers said. “Again, unacceptable. I said that on day one.”

Among recent changes, Chambers said state police are installing a new 60 camera security system, have made an academy curriculum adjustment to provide a better educational environment, and leadership will have open communications and regular meetings with all female academy trainees.

“We’ve upgraded our female barracks with in-house female staff members,” he said. “It’s actually a full-time sergeant and a female who went to Academy. We’ve had females over the years but that is her main job now.”

Chambers also said, after a number of retirements, transfers and reassignments within his four-month tenure, he’s also fired four troopers.

“We’ve separated employment with four troopers that were failing to meet the standard and expectations of the state police,” Chambers said.

Chambers said he’s changing daily activity reports on hours worked and approved. He said a first line supervisor has to approve any hours worked.

“No matter what your rank is, it goes to the next level supervisor for approval,” he said.

He said the FBI will teach the academy civil rights class, emphasizing the seriousness of acting under “the color of law.”

Regarding specifics in the multiple WVSP investigations that have been ongoing for months, Chambers said he is still limited on what he can reveal at this time.

He said the state charges for domestic battery on an accused trooper is in the hands of the Ritchie County Prosecutor. He noted that alleged trooper rapes are currently under investigation by federal investigators, along with civil litigation.

He also said the hidden camera at the police academy is currently subject to federal and internal investigations and both of those are in action now.

“Our academy is not completely broke,” Chambers said. “Some would think that, but it is not. Staff changes have been made. I can say the camera systems are in the process of being upgraded to the top of the line so we will know who’s there and who’s not.”

Chambers said he is in the process of working with the governor’s office to create a WVSP/Marshall University Health Line.

“A line to call in if someone at the academy is having a problem or an issue,” Chambers said. “We want them to have someone to speak to if they feel the need.”

Latest In State Police Hidden Camera Investigation On This West Virginia Morning

On this West Virginia Morning, the latest legal complaint concerning the West Virginia State Police hidden camera investigation outlines an alleged culture of misconduct towards women, with accusations of sexual assault and concerns over reforms. Randy Yohe has the story.

On this West Virginia Morning, the latest legal complaint concerning the West Virginia State Police hidden camera investigation outlines an alleged culture of misconduct towards women, with accusations of sexual assault and concerns over reforms. Randy Yohe has the story.

Also, in this show, Mountain Stage and host Kathy Mattea last year brought the show to Harrisonburg, Virginia at the invitation of our affiliate station WMRA and their partners at the Forbes Center for the Performing Arts at James Madison University. One of our guests in that show was Joy Oladokun who has our Song of the Week. We listen to her performance of the simply powerful and beautiful, “If You Got A Problem.”

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.

Support for our news bureaus comes from Concord University and Shepherd University.

Our Appalachia Health News project is made possible with support from CAMC and Marshall Health.

West Virginia Morning is produced with help from Bill Lynch, Caroline MacGregor, Chris Schultz, Curtis Tate, Delaney Wells, Emily Rice, Eric Douglas, Liz McCormick, and Randy Yohe.

Eric Douglas is our news director. Caroline MacGregor is our assistant news director and producer.

Teresa Wills is our host.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

New Allegations, Justice Response In WVSP Hidden Camera Probe

The latest legal complaint concerning the West Virginia State Police hidden camera investigation outlines an alleged culture of misconduct towards women, with accusations of sexual assault and concerns over reforms.

The latest legal complaint concerning the West Virginia State Police (WVSP) hidden camera investigation outlines an alleged culture of misconduct towards women, with accusations of sexual assault and concerns over reforms.

The complaint filed in Kanawha County Circuit Court alleged that there were multiple victims and named multiple defendants involved in a hidden camera placed in the State Police Academy women’s locker room beginning in 2015.

Bryan Edwards, a Morgantown attorney and member of the legal team, is representing 70 West Virginia female law enforcement officers who trained at the academy and used the women’s locker room. He said evidence shows that beyond an invasion of privacy, male academy individuals exploited women.

“They preyed on the cadets,” Edwards said. “Making allegations that if they wished to get through the academy, then they would be subjected to their unwanted advances.”

The internal State Police investigation into the hidden camera incident has been underway for more than three months. Edwards said some defendants named in the complaint continue to work there.

WVSP-hidden-camera-complaint_kanawhacountycircuitcourt
Download

In a media briefing on Wednesday, Gov. Jim Justice voiced frustration with no investigation findings yet, and acknowledged the seriousness of the allegations and had a message for the 70 West Virginia plaintiffs.

“A million apologies,” Justice said. “There’s no excuse. It’s ridiculous stuff that has happened. For 70 women, maybe there’s a goodly percentage that this did not happen to, but can you just imagine not knowing?”

Edwards believes the internal investigation will not change an alleged culture of sexism and coverups.

“It doesn’t appear that some of the bad actors that we know have had any type of consequences at all,” he said. “So my faith in the internal investigation is very limited.”

Justice said he has full faith that the State Police hidden camera probe will resolve the issue, and said reforms have already been instituted. But he also said he has limited patience.

“I really do believe that those changes are either happening, or have already been made,” Justice said. “We have investigations going on and I think we got to let that play out. But I’m not comfortable with all the bad stuff that’s happened. I want to see action. I have the most confidence in the State Police and love them with all my soul. But we don’t need to keep messing around with this. We need to move and move as swiftly as we possibly can.”

Edwards said his clients have seen no evidence of reforms at this point.

“If someone is feeling that they are being harassed or mistreated, that there was something outside, they can go and express those concerns,” Edwards said. “And it’s not just going to be the status quo, which I think has been the issue down there for years.”

Wheeling attorney Teresa Toriseva was one of the first to file a “notice to sue” the state government entity on behalf of multiple female law enforcement officers. All law enforcement officers, such as local police and sheriff’s deputies, train at the WVSP Academy and use the locker room and shower facilities.

State Police have offered no timetable for investigation results, saying due diligence is their utmost concern.

West Virginia Public Broadcasting asked the State Police for an update on both the investigation and reforms instituted but did not receive a response before this story was published.

WVSP Hidden Camera Lawsuits Piling Up

More than 70 women have now reportedly filed, or are preparing to file, suit against the West Virginia State Police because of an admitted hidden camera in the police academy women’s locker room.

More than 70 women have now reportedly filed, or are preparing to file, suit against the West Virginia State Police (WVSP) because of an admitted hidden camera in the police academy women’s locker room.

Twenty-year veteran trooper Talia Divita’s civil suit, filed May 25, 2023, claims she and others were secretly filmed.

Gov. Jim Justice and State Police Interim Superintendent Col. Jack Chambers have both said the camera was placed in the locker room from approximately 2015 to 2020. Chambers is leading an investigation into the incidents.

The suit claims Divita was filmed changing her clothes and showering during 2015, 2016 and 2017.

In the complaint, Divita’s lawsuit claims supervisors knew about the camera and covered it up. The complaint alleges then WVSP Superintendent Jan Cahill was aware that officers destroyed a thumb drive with locker room video evidence and took no disciplinary actions.

The complaint states that Justice Chief of Staff Brian Abraham has said the hidden camera “was not motion sensitive, it continued to run and that individual would, from time to time, replace the recording device and the battery source.”

The suit claims the WVSP actions were “willful and malicious with a reckless and outrageous indifference to the health, safety and welfare of others.”

Divita accuses the agency of sexual harassment, a hostile work environment, gender discrimination, negligence and invasion of privacy.

Divita’s Charleston attorney in the case, John-Mark Atkinson, discussed his client’s level of outrage.

“It’s clearly a gross violation of her privacy,” Atkinson said. “A locker room should be the one place you should be free from worrying about others viewing you in that way. She’s equally as disturbed and outraged by the fact that evidence of such illegal behavior was destroyed by high ranking officials in the State Police.”

Toriseva now has a reported 67 clients; other attorneys across the state have more clients.

Justice said last week that if there are a “bunch of bad eggs” in the West Virginia State Police, the state should get them identified and held accountable.

“No matter what it takes, get to the very bottom of all of it,” Justice said. “The guilty parties should suffer the consequences. There’s no excuse. These are people that we place our trust in. The guilty party should suffer.”

Justice said he “has faith” in the WVSP’s internal investigation into the hidden camera violations.

West Virginia Public Broadcasting asked the WVSP for an update on the investigation but received no response by the time this story was published.

Underage Women File Notice To Sue Over WVSP Hidden Camera Incident

Three young women who say they attended West Virginia Junior Trooper programs at the State Police Academy when they were under 18 years old have filed a notice of forthcoming legal action against the West Virginia State Police.

Three women who say they attended West Virginia Junior Trooper programs at the State Police Academy when they were under 18 years old have filed a notice of forthcoming legal action against the West Virginia State Police (WVSP).

Wheeling Attorney Teresa Toriseva represents these women, and up to 20 other female law enforcement officers from around the state, all concerned that they may have been secretly videotaped in the academy women’s locker room.

An active investigation is underway, led by Interim WVSP Superintendent Jack Chambers, looking into the extent that a hidden camera was placed and operated inside the female locker room at the State Police Academy.

Toriseva said in a press release that her clients and other female Junior Trooper program attendees used the female locker room at the academy during the time the cameras may have been in use. She said the taping of the females in the academy did not end until 2020, the same time the Junior Trooper Program was discontinued.

“The deeper the investigation goes, the more shocking the conduct,” Toriseva said in the release. “All the women who came through the academy during the time the camera or cameras were being operated hope they were not filmed. With the admitted destruction of evidence, the burden is now on the West Virginia State Police to prove these women were not filmed.”

Chambers has apologized to any women who were victimized by the hidden camera and has stated he is working to identify all potential victims of the crime.

In the notice to sue, Toriseva said as an alternative to filing suit, her clients request a meeting to discuss these allegations and a possible resolution.

“Voyeurism is never a single incident,” Toriseva said. ”We expect many more in addition to these new three to come forward as the matter progresses.”