BOZEMAN, Mont. — Thirteen officers with the Bozeman Police Department were investigated after participating in a game called “Midshift Bingo” during their shifts, Cowboy State Daily reported.
The internal activity involved officers marking off “crime bingo” squares for incidents during traffic stops and other law enforcement interactions, according to the report. The customized bingo cards included categories such as “Arrest 3 people out of one car,” “Foot pursuit for arrestable offense,” “Apply TQ or chest seal” and “Butt-ass naked.”
According to Bozeman Police Chief Jim Veltkamp, the game lasted 12 days in mid-January and was immediately shut down once command staff became aware. He emphasized that the department found no evidence that individuals’ rights were violated during the game, but admitted it was “inappropriate.”
“The officers involved, who had these bingo cards handed to them, we had a lot of long conversations about this, and they were warned how inappropriate it is,” said Veltkamp. “The supervisors who participated and had any knowledge of it, they were disciplined beyond that.”
The department, alongside the Bozeman City Attorney’s Office and the Gallatin County Attorney’s Office, conducted internal investigations. An independent attorney was also hired to review 24 cases tied to the time period when the game occurred. All concluded that none of the reviewed cases had been impacted by the game.
Despite these findings, Gallatin County Attorney Audrey Cromwell filed motions with the local District Court requesting judicial review to determine what information should be disclosed to defense counsel. Eleven felony cases tied to the bingo period are currently under legal review.
BPD has not disclosed the nature of the discipline issued, citing personnel privacy, according to the report. It also remains unclear who initiated the game or whether any money or rewards were involved.
