IMPD officer accused of secretly recording sex with women while on-duty and in uniform - WTHR

[Mike Potter]

Officer Shane Decker, a 25-year IMPD veteran, is facing eight charges, including five felony counts over recordings allegedly left in a department vehicle.



INDIANAPOLIS — An IMPD officer is charged with voyeurism, official misconduct and making an unlawful proposition for allegedly taking videos of sexual encounters with women.


Officer Shane Decker turned himself in to the Marion County jail Friday, Nov. 22. He posted bond just before 7 p.m.


Decker allegedly recorded the encounters without permission from the women. In at least one video, Decker is apparently on duty and asks the woman to listen for his radio number in case he gets a run.


The investigation began when another officer found a USB stick in a department vehicle. The officer looked at what was on the USB stick and found recordings. When it became clear the videos may be illegal, the Special Investigations Unit was called in.


Police spoke to multiple women in the videos, who said they did not give Decker permission to record their sexual encounters. Many of the women expressed feeling betrayed.

One woman told investigators that to Decker, "females were irrelevant. He would make multiple comments about any female on the department from a patrol officer all the way up to command staff. They were worthless. They did not ever need to be in law enforcement. Comments about their weight, the way they looked, the way they spoke."


"He thinks women are pretty much worthless," the alleged victim said.


Decker also allegedly recorded himself getting sexual services from masseuses at parlors around Indianapolis. According to charging documents, police were able to pull searches from Decker's phone, looking for parlors that offered sexual services.


According to court documents, Decker was actually part of the investigation into illegal adult massage parlors. Investigators are not allowed to engage in sex with the workers after the proposition part of the investigation.


An officer in the Vice Unit told investigators many of the women in these parlors are victims of human trafficking. Decker should have received human trafficking training before becoming part of the undercover investigative team.


In at least one video, Decker appears to acknowledge that at least some of the women in the parlors were victims of human trafficking. Police believe he may have used his knowledge of investigations to know which parlors would offer the sexual services.


Decker served 25 years with IMPD.


The earliest video seems to be from 2019. The latest was from the Spring of 2024.


On Sept. 10, 2024, Decker was placed on administrative duty with no law enforcement authority or police equipment by IMPD Chief Chris Bailey. On Nov. 20, Bailey suspended Decker with a recommendation of termination by the IMPD Civilian Police Merit Board.


"The allegations uncovered in this investigation represent a clear violation of public trust and are completely unacceptable. This behavior has no place in our society," Chief Chris Bailey said. "My heart goes out to the victims of this inexcusable misconduct, and I want to assure them that their voices have been heard. I commend the courage and strength of those who came forward to help ensure accountability."


Official charges were filed against Decker on Friday, Nov. 22, 2024.