• See the Official City Memo below
In response to filing of a sexual harassment complaint detailing numerous alleged violations by one of the newer women officers among six females in the 108-member Police Dept., City Hall announced, internally, last Friday that it has hired a team of private investigators to — well, that is not entirely clear.
A second woman employee, armed with separate harassment-type complaints, reportedly helped trigger the investigation.
The newspaper has obtained a copy of the 446-word memo.
It was issued by Human Resources Director Serena Wright, prepared in consultation with City Atty. Carol Schwab and addressed to “All Police Department Personnel.” No one is guessing how much time the probe will require, but a Police Dept. spokesperson said, “No matter how many people they talk to, this takes much longer than you would think.”
The sexual harassment blockbuster thunders across the department at the worst time — in the midst of a now 9-month open-wound dispute between leaders of the Police Officers Assn. and Police Chief Don Pedersen over his style of leadership. The union beef with the chief already has chilled working conditions on Duquesne. This almost stealth-like probe by the Thomas Consulting company is a closed-fist blow to morale and esprit de corps.
The woman who turned the ignition key on the first sexual harassment probe in the Police Dept. in 13 years is seeking to shine klieg lights on a work environment that, according to some male and female critics, has been “notoriously hostile, not just unfriendly,” for women for years, dating back to when long-retired Chief Ted Cooke was in his prime.
An eye-catching chunk of the heart of the memo, tellingly perhaps in view of department history, is dedicated to warning guilty or uncomfortable officers to desist from retaliating against squealers, although such a low-brown term was not used.
As the point person, the young officer does not want her name disclosed although, as Ms. Wright said, intuitively, in the memo, soon everyone will know.
“As the investigation proceeds,” Ms. Wright wrote, “the nature of the allegations and the identity of complainants or witnesses will no doubt become evident to a growing number of individuals.”
The Memo
INTEROFFICE MEMORANDUM
DATE: 8/13/2010
TO: All Police Department Personnel
FROM: Serena Wright, Human Resources Director
SUBJECT: Pending Investigation
CC: Martin R. Cole, Acting City Manager Carol Schwab, City Attorney
The purpose of this memorandum is to advise that the City has retained the services of a private investigative firm, Thomas Consulting, which specializes in workplace investigations, to conduct an internal administrative investigation addressing potential issues of gender-based discrimination.
City policies and practices provide the Human Resources Department with responsibility to initiate, supervise and otherwise participate in internal administrative investigations regarding the subject of the present investigation.
During the course of the investigation the principals at Thomas Consulting, Richard Thomas and Sharon Thomas, will be conducting interviews of employees considered to be relevant to the investigation. The Human Resources Department has made arrangements for a Police Department liaison to be available to Thomas Consulting for the purposes of scheduling interviews, administering POBR instructions and related orders, where appropriate, and performing other ministerial tasks related to the investigation process.
The City of Culver City is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all applicable laws, including those related to anti-discrimination and anti-retaliation. The City has provided training on these subjects to City employees in the past. As a continuing reminder, it is unlawful and/or in violation of City/Department policies, rules and regulations to discriminate against, or otherwise harass, an employee because of gender or other applicable protected categories, it is equally unlawful and violative of rules to retaliate against a complainant, against an individual perceived to be a complainant or supportive of a complainant, or against a witness who is believed to have offered testimony that may be supportive of a complainant.
Retaliation occurs when the perpetrator of the act engages in conduct which results in an adverse action materially affecting the terms and conditions of another employee’s employment. Examples of “adverse employment action” associated with retaliation include, but are not limited to, verbal abuse, a “silent treatment,” lack of professional cooperation at the workplace, unfounded daily criticism, inappropriate increased supervision and/or surveillance or acts of intimidation.
As the investigation proceeds, the nature of the allegations and the identity of complainants or witnesses will no doubt become evident to a growing number of individuals. Therefore, the Office of the City Attorney and the Human Resources Department is taking this opportunity to advise all employees of their duties and obligations towards their colleagues and to caution that acts of harassment, discrimination, and retaliation shall not be tolerated.
Any questions regarding this memorandum shall be directed to either my attention or to the attention of City Attorney Carol Schwab.
*Please post this memo and distribute to all without email access.*
(Tomorrow: A much closer look)
