On Friday, February 10, Walworth Town Clerk Susie Jacobs received a call from an unnamed source, telling her that there was a hidden camera in her Town Clerk’s office. The unidentified man told her where the camera was located and where it might be pointing.
Jacobs indicated that she did not do anything over the weekend, but on Monday, after working at the office, she came back after 6 pm with some witnesses to look around.
She described that they found a camera in the ceiling located inside what looked like a smoke detector. One of the witnesses examined it and found that it was not a smoke detector, and that a camera was inside. She indicated that the cover was removed to identify what was inside, but the camera was not removed.
In going through random photos of the office, it appeared that the (camera) was not there in 2008, but was in a photo in 2012, so it could have been installed anytime from 2008 until 2012.
“I believe that camera was put there for spying purposes,” said Susie. “I feel violated. I have disrobed in my office, on occasion and I was appalled to think I was being watched.”
She and her volunteers called the State Police to make a report. The Troopers asked her if she had been aware that the camera was there, and she told him no.
Supervisor Patti Marini was called to the Town Hall and spoke to the State Police. She arrived and was asked questions about the camera.
Marini stated that all the cameras in the Town Hall have been installed for years and are there for the security of the public. She indicated that there are signs throughout the Town Hall (and on the outside doors as you enter) that indicate the Town Hall has surveillance cameras.
The State Troopers asked to see the computer where the surveillance could be viewed in the Supervisor’s office.
Susie Jacobs indicated that the “hidden” camera was only wired to the supervisor’s office and not recording. The Troopers said that if it was not recording, there would be no purpose for it being there.
Mrs. Marini told the Troopers that the system in the Clerk’s Office was indeed wired into the regular security system and was recording as they all do.
Mrs. Jacobs reported that the next day, she put up a sign on the entrance door to her office and hanging from the ceiling that said ‘Hidden Camera being used”. The signs were later removed and replaced with a copy of the Town Hall surveillance warning sign that appears throughout the Town Hall.
According to Susie, Town Councilwoman Judy Markowski was asked if she was aware of a “secret hidden camera” in the Clerk’s Office and she said she was not. The Clerk also tried to contact other Town Board members, but did not reach them until the next day, and when asked if they were aware of a “secret hidden camera”, Councilman Pembroke and Ruth also indicated to her that they were not. Mrs. Marini later asked if the Town Council members were aware that there were security cameras throughout the building, and they all admitted that they were aware of that, but not a secret hidden camera, as all surveillance is posted. On Wednesday, Integrated Systems came in to reinstall the camera in the clerk’s office. Mrs. Jacobs indicated that she had called Integrated Systems to see if they could tell her where the camera was pointed. She did not get a call back. She had expected the camera to be removed. Susie expressed concern for the safety of confidential information on forms and on the computer that could be seen by a camera in her office. She felt this violated the privacy of the public.“This is just very sad. I feel violated,” she repeated. When interviewed, Supervisor Marini noted that the camera in the Clerk’s Office is part of the overall surveillance system in the Town Hall, and other Town buildings, and is not there to “spy” on anyone, but to secure the safety of the buildings. The camera is not pointed into any private office or bathrooms in the building, and everyone at the town hall, and anyone who walks in the building is aware or the surveillance.
According to a viewing of tape by the Times, the camera shot in the Town Clerk’s Office is a distant peripheral view showing the counter area and entrance to the Office. Although a window can be seen to the Clerk’s Office, it is not clear enough to see through. No writing or computer words would be visible at the angle it is pointed. The view also shows that the camera was actually removed at one point during the witness search on Monday. It had to be reinstalled by the security firm later that week.
Mrs. Jacobs was upset that this investigation and the other investigations against her, have cost the taxpayers of Walworth. Mrs. Marini also indicated that the cost of this investigation and the cost of reinstalling the camera is definitely costing the taxpayers money, but she says it is due to Mrs. Jacobs’ actions.
Because a story was written from Jacob’s account of the incident in the Sun and Record by reporter Laura Valentine (who was also one of the witnesses at the search for the camera) the Town Board issued a statement at their Thursday Town Board meeting to address the allegations in the story.
The statement read: “The Town Clerk’s Office is the official repository of the Town’s official records and is a public office that is protected by this system.”
Further, it was noted, that signs are posted on all entrance doors to Town offices announcing that there is a security and surveillance system in place. (Cameras are not installed in bathrooms, as they are places which have an expectation of privacy and, therefore, is prohibited by NYS law.) It was also shared that, approximately one year ago, the Town’s Security and Surveillance System assisted the New York State Police in an investigation of a sexual assault, wherein security footage in Ginegaw Lodge was shared with local law enforcement. Cooperation with the investigation was agreed upon by the Town Board members, who are all aware of the security system. “Any assertion to the contrary is false.” The statement concludes as follows: “The Town Clerk’s continued erratic behavior is cause for concern. These conspiracy theories are nonsense as evidenced by the fact that [the Town] has been notified by the New York State Police that their investigation, instigated by the Town Clerk, was immediately closed.”
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