News-EastUpdate-12-13-2019
Dylan Brogan
Minneapolis police searched an East High School classroom Dec. 12 as part of an investigation into hidden cameras found in the hotel rooms of students during a recent school trip, according to an email sent to families from East principal Brendan Kearney.
Isthmus broke the news that an East High staff member has been put on administrative leave during the investigation.
Additionally, Minneapolis police executed a warrant to search a Cottage Grove home on Dec. 12. Cottage Grove Police Chief Daniel Layber expects the judge who issued the warrant to keep it sealed.
“Minneapolis wants to keep it secret until they are ready to get a case potentially charged,” says Layber. “We assisted [Minneapolis police] with a search warrant — that’s about it. There was no arrest made.”
The investigation centers on a recent school trip to Minneapolis, during which East High students found several hidden cameras in their rooms at the downtown Hyatt Regency.
Madison police spokesperson Joel DeSpain says the Minneapolis Police Department alerted Madison police to the incident.
“There was an advisory email, internally, from the [Madison] North District Captain Brian Ackeret just indicating that this incident had taken place — this incident involving cameras in a hotel and East High School students,” says DeSpain. “We are going to wait and see what Minneapolis police determine in their investigation and whether they need our assistance.”
West High students were also at the conference but did not find recording devices in their rooms.
Timothy LeMonds, public information officer for the district, confirmed on Dec. 12 that one staff member has been put on administrative leave, pending an investigation. He said he did not know how many district employees were on the trip.
“The only thing else I can add is that whenever there is a case like this — an incident like this — this is our practice,” LeMonds said. “For a precautionary measure, we will put any involved staff members on administrative leave. I just want to stress that. At this point, it’s a purely precautionary measure.”
Isthmus has now confirmed that two East staff members accompanied students on the trip. LeMonds did not respond to a follow-up request for comment.
