Lower Makefield Police Officer Charged With Illegal Wiretapping

LOWER BUCKS COUNTY, PA — A Lower Makefield Township police officer faces 18 felony charges for illegal wiretapping after making video recordings while on the job, according to court records.

According to a criminal complaint obtained by Patch, Patrolman Kenneth Stinson, 52, allegedly started routinely making videos at work about four years ago. The recordings included interactions with more than a dozen police officers, including his supervisor, the complaint states.

Stinson — who has worked for the police department since 2007 —would record himself arriving to the police station, walking inside, getting dressed in the men’s locker room, and preparing for his shift. But those recordings are against the law, authorities said.

Stinson was arraigned Friday before District Judge Corryn Kronnagel on the felony charges, which include 16 counts of intercept communications, which is known as illegal wiretapping.

Patch sent an email on Monday to Lower Makefield Township Police Chief Joseph Kelly III seeking comment. The department said it would not comment on the case since it's being handled by Bucks County Detectives.

Bucks County Detectives launched an investigation in late June after receiving an internal report from Lower Makefield police that included allegedly recorded audio and video made by Stinson, the complaint states.

Stinson allegedly told a township lieutenant that for about two years, he would routinely record himself arriving at work starting when he arrives in the parking lot and leaves his vehicle, the criminal complaint states.

The complaint said that Stinson would, with his phone in his hand and recording, enter the police building, prepare for his work shift, and stop the recording after he dressed. The video would be deleted unless something “notable” happened, the complaint stated.

In mid-July, a Bucks County detective went to the police department to meet with Stinson and serve him a search warrant for his cellphone. The complaint states that it was “immediately apparent” that the detective was being recorded.

Investigators found 21 files containing "surreptitious videos” where Stinson recorded himself and audio of others, dating back to 2021, court records stated.

The criminal complaint stated that videos included the police department's in-house CPR training, conversations during an inter-department training session, and Stinson and his supervisor talking about a case he was working on.

“The supervisor appeared unaware that the conversation was being recorded and proceeded to counsel Stinson about his actions during a hit-and-run investigation,” the complaint states.

Another video allegedly had "proof" of an issue that Stinson had sent Kelly an email in which he wanted to discuss with the chief. While the complaint did not address the topic, Stinson apparently shared that information with the Lower Makefield lieutenant that involved the conversations of at least two people as Stinson walked around the locker room.