Docs: IMPD officer admits to touching girl, using camera to spy
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A suspended Indianapolis police officer accused of child molestation admitted to touching a young girl and using a camera to spy on her, investigators say.
Kamal Bola, of Avon, was charged Thursday after being accused of several child sex crimes over a period of two years. He was arrested late Tuesday night in Avon. He’s been with Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department for six years.
Bola was charged with child molesting as a Level 1 Felony, child molesting as a Level 4 Felony, sexual misconduct with a minor as Level 4 and Level 6 felonies, along with felony counts of voyeurism and obstruction of justice.
After he was initially held without bond, a Hendricks County judge set a $30,000 cash bond on Thursday. The 35-year-old faces up to 50 years in prison if convicted.
According to court docs obtained by News 8, the investigation began Tuesday morning.
Police were called to the house after a 14-year-old victim’s mother learned a small camera was on her daughter’s bookshelf. Police later obtained a search warrant for the camera, which was described as a small spy camera able to be accessed via WiFi.
It was later found smashed behind Bola’s property.
When Bola was questioned about the camera, he quickly told investigators “he never touched her.”
He later confessed to having touched the girl, saying he and the girl would “cuddle,” which escalated to inappropriate contact. He told police he pleasured himself after touching the child, according to docs.
He also told police they would find nude photos of the 14-year-old girl on his phone, court docs say.
After police interviewed him, he wrote an apology letter to the girl, asking her not to think of him as a “monster” and saying, “I am so ashamed and embarrassed ruined everything we had.”
During Bola’s Thursday court appearance, he remained relatively quiet, only answering the judge when asked.
“Children must be able to trust that those in positions of authority will protect them at all times,” IMPD Chief Chris Bailey said in a Wednesday statement. “We demand the highest standards of conduct from our officers, both on and off duty. These allegations represent a severe breach of trust the community places in law enforcement. Our thoughts are with the victim and their family. Ensuring the safety of our community, especially our most vulnerable members, is and will remain our highest priority.”
IMPD says Bola was suspended following his arrest pending a “recommendation of termination” to the IMPD Civilian Police Merit Board. The department has not announced any future meetings of the board.
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