ABQ City Employees are Required to Report Instances of Sexual Harassment
Sexual Harassment Policy at the City of Albuquerque
Now that it has been confirmed that the city of Albuquerque has hired Rick Foley Investigations to look into an anonymous complaint alleging sexual harassment at the Civilian Police Oversight Agency and the Police Oversight Board, the ABQReport felt it important for readers to know what the sexual harassment policy at the city of Albuquerque states:
Here's a key passage from the city's policy:
"Employees and applicants for employment have an obligation to report the matter as soon as possible to a supervisor, the Department Director, or to the Human Resources Director. An employee may also exercise his/her rights to pursue an action through any local (City of Albuquerque, Human Rights Office), state (Human Rights Commission of New Mexico) or federal (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission) regulatory agency responsible for enforcement of anti-discrimination laws. This policy does not extend the time limits to file any discrimination action."
Mayor Tim Keller’s office has stated that all sexual harassment complaints will be investigated. Keller’s office also stated that the CPOA are all city employees who are required to attend sexual harassment training, they were unsure if the POB members are required to attend sexual harassment training.
There is some confusion over who will review the completed investigation. The issue is that the CPOA answers to the POB. Clearly that would be a conflict of interest since this allegation says that a CPOA employee sexually harassed a POB member. Since someone on the POB may, or may not, be a victim, the POB itself cannot review the investigation as several members of the POB may be witnesses and one might be a victim.
Who oversees the CPOA when the POB is conflicted?
Keller’s PIO, Jessie Damazyn stated that the POB answers to the city council. This is because the POB members are appointed and vetted by the city council. The POB members don’t receive a city salary, but they do receive per diem and taxpayer paid for training and trips among other perks.
When we asked the city council about this sexual harassment complaint and investigation, three members denied any knowledge and the other six didn’t respond at all. Sunshine doesn’t appear at the city council.
What is clear is Keller is doing his job by investigating all allegations of sexual harassment involving city employees, to determine if they occurred. Beyond ordering an investigation, Keller doesn’t appear to have the authority to act and the city council is either in the dark or wanting this to just go away.
Since the investigation is being paid for by your money, it’s not going to go away.
The citizens should be provided with a copy of this investigation and its’ cost. If the investigation determines no harassment took place, then the names should be redacted. If the investigation determines there was inappropriate behavior then the report should be released with no redactions. You paid for it, you deserve to see it.
Rick Foley Investigations can be contacted at 505-401-3864.
