Webster police sergeant under investigation for April body cam incident

ROCHESTER, NY (WROC) – A Webster police sergeant is under investigation for an April incident in which he disabled a body-worn camera while rushing to an incident involving an unconscious person in a vehicle on Orchard Street.

Webster Police Chief Dennis Kohlmeier said the department was called on April 1 to a man found unconscious in a vehicle on Orchard Street in the Village on Webster.

Sergeant Michael Wilder arrived at the scene along with two other plainclothes detectives who were in the area. Kohlmeier says Wilder deactivated his body-worn camera shortly after the investigation began and the other two detectives were not wearing cameras.

The interaction was not recorded and no documentation was created.

Kohlmeier says the next day, a police captain noticed how the incident was handled and brought it to the attention of the police chief. The District Attorney’s Office and the New York State Law Enforcement Misconduct Investigation Bureau were notified, and Sergeant Wilder was placed on leave pending an internal investigation.

Captain Reed led the internal investigation and charges against Sergeant Wilder were upheld, pending disciplinary action.