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Former Gary intern sues ex-police commander
A former Gary police commander is being sued for sexual harassment. It's a federal lawsuit, involving a minor. Joanie Lum is in Gary with the details.
GARY, Ind. - A former summer intern with the Gary Police Department has filed a federal lawsuit accusing a former police commander of grooming the teen and sending sexually explicit content during the internship.
The lawsuit also alleges city officials failed to protect the intern and retaliated after the teen reported the alleged misconduct.
What we know:
The lawsuit, filed this month in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana, names former Commander James Bond, the City of Gary and other defendants. It seeks at least $300,000 in damages and alleges city officials knew, or should have known, about Bond's alleged conduct but failed to intervene.
According to the complaint, the plaintiff was a 17-year-old high school student hired through the City of Gary's Summer Youth Jobs Program and assigned to work at the Gary Police Department.
The lawsuit alleges Bond befriended and groomed the intern, sent the teen sexually explicit content and caused emotional distress.
The lawsuit further alleges that after the intern reported the conduct, supervisors isolated the teen in an office for the remainder of the internship, making the plaintiff feel punished for speaking up.
In 2024, Bond was indicted and jailed on charges alleging he pressured a child to send sexually explicit videos while working with the city's summer youth program. He was later demoted, stripped of his police powers and allowed to retire.
What we don't know:
The lawsuit does not identify the plaintiff by name, and it is unclear whether the plaintiff is the same alleged victim referenced in Bond's 2024 criminal case.
The City of Gary and attorneys representing the defendants have not responded to requests for comment.
The Source: This story contains reporting from Fox Chicago's Joanie Lum.