Former Marion County government supervisor tries to explain hidden recording device
A Marion County government report into allegations that the former director of public safety communications secretly installed a recording device to spy on a married couple in their hotel room provides some previously unreported details about the April incident.
The married couple, Patrick Kirkowski and Ashley Greene, along with Danielle Anderson, are plaintiffs in a lawsuit filed against the former director, Kyle Drummer. Marion County also is a defendant. Anthony F. Sabatini, a Mount Dora attorney, is representing Kirkowski, Greene and Anderson.
Anderson and Kirkowski worked in the public safety department under Drummer's supervision. Drummer resigned from the county on April 25. A week before, Kirkowski and Greene discovered an electronic recording gadget in their hotel room and accused Drummer of secretly placing it there, according to the lawsuit.
Kirkowski, Anderson and Drummer were attending a public safety conference for telecommunications and dispatchers in National Harbor, Maryland. Greene accompanied her husband on the trip.
The county's investigation
The county report includes information not included in the lawsuit. For example, it notes that the couple's hotel room was decorated by two people, one of them Drummer, with balloons and other items to celebrate Kirkowski and Greene's marriage. This decorating happened when the group arrived for the conference in the early morning hours of April 14.
On April 15, the group went to a hockey game and Drummer had "what looked like an audio recorder," the report states. The next day, Kirkowski had an uneasy feeling about the recorder and searched his hotel room, according to the report.
Later, the group went to opening events at the conference. Finishing with the conference, the group went to the couple's hotel room to hang out. On the night of April 17, the group went to a casino not far from the hotel. While there, the report states, Drummer said he had to return to the hotel to get money he left in his room.
Drummer was gone for awhile, so Kirkowski texted Drummer, asking about his whereabouts. Drummer said he was 10 minutes away. The report indicates Drummer didn't arrive back at the casino until 40 minutes later.
The group went to the hotel in the early morning hours of April 18. The report mentions that when Kirkowski turned off the lights, he saw a light from behind a picture that was hanging near the bed. Kirkowski removed the picture from the wall and saw a camera, SD card and a battery pack taped to the back of the picture frame.
Kirkowski played the SD card on his computer and it showed Drummer working with the camera. This took place when the rest of the group was at the casino. The report states Drummer was seen on tape packing up tools and also cleaning the room.
Reporting the incident to hotel staff and police
The couple called hotel security, and the police were notified. According to the report, the couple never gave the SD card to hotel security, and law enforcement officials were never told who set up the camera.
A police report was made, according to the county report.
"Patrick and Ashley clearly stated they had not given Kyle permission to film or record them," the county report states.
The SD card was given to a county official to "review with legal," according to the report.
The communications center was checked for any recording device, but none was found.
Drummer's interview
Drummer was interviewed by county officials on April 19. Drummer said the camera belongs to Kirkowski and "I put it in the room at Patrick's request," according to the report.
Drummer also said that the camera was aimed at a chair in the room where he would sit when he was visiting. The camera was only intended to record him.
The camera was "meant to record my activities while in the room each time," he told investigators. "It was directed at the chair where I would sit," and "I did not plan to take it when I left."
"I will be seen on the camera, it is trained on me to be sitting in the chair in that corner. It was meant to verify my behavior," he said, according to the report.
Kirkowski's interview
When Kirkowski was interviewed, he said the camera does not belong to him and he never consented to being recorded inside his hotel room.
He also said that when Drummer got the hotel room keys for the group, Drummer had a key that would work on the room where Kirkowski and his wife were staying.
In the report, county officials wrote: "Very odd to keep the key to the room, kept your name on the room, then you leave the three of them to get cash from your room, no proof of text message that he (Kirkowski) knew what Kyle was doing. When Patrick woke up, if he knew you (Drummer) had set the camera, why would he go through what he did — security, complaint, police report, etc."
According to the report, Drummer said: "It is not lost on me that my side of the story is problematic. Was the only time I was in their room (setting the camera up alone), with the exception of decorating for them."
He also said: "I accept whatever the final determination. I am telling you the truth, because I accept my part in this, and there is a different side that Patrick is not telling. I understand the gravity of the situation."
Resignation
Drummer, whose annual salary was $124,696, said in his resignation letter that it was "a tremendous honor and privilege to have served the citizens of Marion County and the staff of Public Safety Communications."
"My entire experience has been one of terrific pleasure, flourish, and fulfillment, through until the writing of this letter of resignation," Drummer wrote.
He wrote: "Through to this end, I have enjoyed the professionalism. courtesy, care, and respect, that is representative of an organization of the caliber that is the Marion County Board of County Commissioners, and I will look back fondly on my time here."
"If I can ever be of service in any capacity, please know that I will always remain available to Marion County and its leaders."
Talking with a Star Banner reporter, Drummer declined comment on advice of counsel. He said he will have more to say at the appropriate time.
Contact Austin L. Miller at [email protected]
This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: Marion County Florida report delves into ex-employee's secret recording
