Complaints against mayor would mean outside investigation

Denver Mayor Michael Hancock’s office has rolled out a new harassment policy in the wake of his harassment scandal, and it calls for outside investigations of any future complaints filed against the mayor.

Hancock’s office confirmed the new policy Monday, just as the City Council adopted its own “respectful workplace” policy and a new censure rule for council members. The actions all were spurred by public reaction to a sexual harassment claim made against Hancock in February, when former security detail officer Leslie Branch-Wise revealed suggestive text messages sent to her by Hancock six years ago.

Hancock apologized to the Denver police officer, but the council decided against launching an outside investigation. In part, the episode revealed a lack of guidance from existing city policies for the handling of allegations of improper treatment involving the mayor.

The new Mayor’s Office Discrimination, Harassment and Retaliation Policy, as well as an expanded anti-fraternization policy, took effect July 30. The prior harassment policy applied to employees and mayoral appointees, but the new one explicitly covers the mayor, too.

“Complaints against the mayor will be promptly investigated, as appropriate, by a third-party investigator retained by the City Attorney’s Office,” the policy reads. “The City Attorney’s Office will coordinate the investigation and make recommendations based on the results of the investigation.”

Since the mayor is elected, potential penalties still would be limited, and it’s unclear whether any reports would be made public. The city charter doesn’t grant the council the ability to censure the mayor, though it does allow for recall elections.

The policy urges employees who experience harassing behavior by the mayor or an appointee to speak to the person involved, if they’re comfortable doing so. If not, they are urged to report the behavior of an appointee up the chain of command or to human resources.

For harassment by the mayor, the policy says, employees should take the complaint to the mayor’s chief of staff, the city attorney or the executive director of human resources — all high-level officials, but the first two are direct mayoral appointees.

The council’s separate “Respectful Workplace Policy” sets out a new complaint process for claims of discrimination, harassment or retaliation that involve council members, their staff members and council attorneys.

The city’s human resources office will handle complaints, and the policy says those filed against council members must be reviewed by outside investigators.

The council also created a censure policy. Council members can be censured by their colleagues, or publicly shamed, for harassment or other violations of the council’s rules if at least 10 of the 13 members agree.