Mayor Pete Buttigieg issued the following statement Friday:
“Today, my office advised the United States Attorney for Northern Indiana that the South
Bend Police Department is now fully compliant with the Federal Wiretap Act.
I have directed a number of changes in the Police Department to ensure that it is one hundred percent consistent with federal regulations and expectations concerning the recording of telephone conversations. These issues have been corrected, and I now consider the matter closed.
It remains the city’s policy not to comment on personnel matters. For this reason, and due to confidentiality concerns related to potential further legal action, I cannot publicly comment in detail on issues or decisions related to the investigation at this time.
While I cannot comment on the specifics of this case, I consider it important that the Federal Wiretap Act be well understood. Under this law, it is a felony to record telephone conversations without proper consent. It is a separate felony to make a copy of such a recording, to disclose the contents of such a recording, to use such a recording, or to attempt or solicit anyone do any of these things.
My focus now is to heal the divisions in the Department and the community that this matter has caused, and to do all that we can to ensure that the men and women of the South Bend Police Department have the support they need to perform to the high standard our community expects and deserves.”
