LOCKPORT, N.Y. (WKBW) — A Lockport police officer is back on the job, having been suspended for 30 days in September. The officer's suspension is linked to body camera video he accessed at the station and recorded, showing the arrest of the principal of Roy B. Kelley Elementary School.
While the 7 News I-Team has the entire body camera video, from two different officers, we are choosing to show only select portions.
On the video, you hear Officer Nicholas Palumbo explain on the phone, "just a heads up, it's the principal of Roy B. Kelley," when he is arresting Heather Walton.
That was May 22, 2023.
"She's toast... [inaudible] ... she just swerved off the road, smacked into the tree and went across a couple people's lawns," Palumbo says.
Walton is seen and heard being read her Miranda Rights and is arrested for DWI. The body camera video was obtained by the 7 News I-Team through a Freedom of Information Law request.
Walton is asked, "how much was it?" She replies, "two drinks."
Palumbo followed Lockport Police Body Worn Camera policies, keeping his body camera rolling at all times during the arrest.
But a different Lockport police officer, Aaron Belling, did not follow the rules.
He wasn't involved in this case at all. Yet, according to Lockport Police Chief Steven Abbott, Belling intentionally accessed the body camera video, which was already uploaded into the system. Police say he recorded a 15 second clip and shared it with at least one other person.
Abbott says that violates the department's rules and regulations.
DRANTCH: Why would he need to have access to this video?
ABBOTT: He doesn't. He doesn't, and he didn't. That's the bottom line.
The 7 News I-Team requested the log, detailing who accessed the body camera cloud system, showing Belling accessed and streamed the video the day after Walton's arrest. The log, obtained through a Freedom of Information Law request, shows the video was accessed at 7:22 a.m.
DRANTCH: Did [Belling] ever explain his intention?
ABBOTT: No, he just did. The only thing he would say was that, you know, he shared it with his wife. And then it was a stupid mistake.
DRANTCH: His wife is also employed by the Lockport School District.
ABBOTT: I believe she is, yes.
DRANTCH: Where this woman who was arrested is also a principal.
ABBOTT: Correct.
DRANTCH: Was there ever any intention to share this video with his wife to perhaps put this principal in a bad light?
ABBOTT: I can't speak to that. I mean, honestly, I mean, the DWI itself puts the principal in the bad light, to be honest with you, you know, but as far as the intents were with the school, you'd have to [ask] to school that.
The school district would not comment about the relationship between the two women or what exactly happened with the video, once with was recorded and shared with Belling's wife.
"You know, do I think it diminishes the trust? Absolutely," Abbott said. "And not only for him, but for the department itself. You know, it's a blot on our record, that something like that happened."
Abbott says Belling's discipline file is clean, except for this latest administrative report.
"I've since sent out a memo to the department that this isn't going to be tolerated and will be dealt with severely," Abbott said.
Belling was suspended without pay for 30 days and is now back on the job.
Walton, meantime, is still on administrative leave and, according to SeeThruNY, collecting a salary of more than $125,000.
She's been on leave since May.
The superintendent won't comment any further about this because it's a personnel issue.
The 7 News I-Team has reached out to Walton's lawyer, but has not heard back.
