KENT COUNTY, Mich. — Surveillance video obtained by 13 ON YOUR SIDE shows Sgt. Scot VanSolkema, 43, with the Lowell Police Department, allegedly violating an order not to trespass on Forest Hills Public School property.
Two incidents involving VanSolkema happened in September 2021 and December 2021 at Forest Hills Central High School.
VanSolkema was charged with trespassing in early February.
The video shows Sgt. VanSolkema, not in police uniform, following a student into the building on Sept. 2 and wandering the hallways.
A Kent County Sheriff's Office non-criminal incident report states school officials had not buzzed him in and were unaware of his presence in the school.
A school resource deputy asks VanSolkema if he had permission to be inside the school and he allegedly responded, "Sometimes it's easier to ask for forgiveness than it is to ask for permission."
The report goes on to state he showed up to a classroom unannounced and was "checking things out."
Earlier this week, a source told 13 ON YOUR SIDE that VanSolkema went into the school suspecting he might find "Antifa signs."
It was after he was caught, school officials decided to issue him a "no trespass order" on all Forest Hills Public School properties.
Then months later on Dec. 14, exterior cameras caught VanSolkema entering school property again, driving his vehicle up onto the sidewalk to bypass traffic waiting in line at the end of the school day.
This is when he was charged with trespassing and he got a civil infraction for careless driving.
About a week before VanSolkema was given the no trespass order, the same sheriff's office incident report states he was part of a group protesting the district's mask mandate for unvaccinated students and disobeyed the school's request to not protest around the school building.
A spokesperson for the City of Lowell said the city is aware of the charges and has begun an internal investigation.
VanSolkema will be arraigned in mid-March.
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