We are living in an era of rapid change, where technology seems to stay well ahead of our ability to effectively draw the line between poor judgment and criminal misbehavior.  Social media web sites such as Facebook and MySpace, combine with photos and videos from helmet cams, dash cams,  and cellphones to produce a never ending stream of headlines about firefighters being disciplined…. or in some cases being charged with criminal offenses. The Spalding County, Georgia case is a perfect example.

Now out of New Mexico comes a report of yet another example:  Los Alamos County Fire Captain Aaron Adair, 36, was charged last week with voyeurism and tampering with evidence for allegedly placing a video camera in the women’s bathroom in his fire station.

News reports indicate that Adair’s intent was to obtain images of a female firefighter, and the camera was directed to observe the toilet and shower.  When the woman found the device, the captain ordered her to give it to him, after which he destroyed the memory card containing what was recorded.

This is the third case I have located this year involving firefighters and fire station voyeurism.