Post by Logan on Jan 30, 2016 3:40:41 GMT -6
City Hall informed of hostile work environment allegations 16 months before Chief Straub fired
Allegations about former Spokane police Chief Frank Straub’s behavior were known to officials in the city’s Human Resources and Legal departments nearly two years ago, according to notes from members of the Police Department who were in leadership roles under Straub.
Those notes – from the personal logs of Lt. Joe Walker and Capt. Dan Torok, obtained through a public records request – describe Straub as “vindictive,” “on a rant,” “red faced” and “extremely inappropriate.” The notes tell of situations where Straub called officers “deaf and mute,” treated “employees as widgets,” and “berated and belittled” his staff.
The notes from Walker and Torok shed light on issues with Straub’s behavior that eventually led Mayor David Condon to demand Straub’s resignation in September. At the time, Condon said he only had heard of concerns about Straub’s behavior in the “last several weeks,” but the recently released notes show senior City Hall administrators were told of Straub’s alleged behavior 16 months earlier.
Another department member who was part of Straub’s original command staff, Carly Cortright, said she was aware of such issues stretching back that far. She recently filed a complaint with the city, alleging a hostile work environment under Straub, concerns about retaliation and gender discrimination. She did so, she said, because she believes no one at City Hall has her interests in mind.
Read more: www.spokesman.com/stories/2016/jan/29/notes-from-police-chief-frank-straubs-top-staff-sh/
Allegations about former Spokane police Chief Frank Straub’s behavior were known to officials in the city’s Human Resources and Legal departments nearly two years ago, according to notes from members of the Police Department who were in leadership roles under Straub.
Those notes – from the personal logs of Lt. Joe Walker and Capt. Dan Torok, obtained through a public records request – describe Straub as “vindictive,” “on a rant,” “red faced” and “extremely inappropriate.” The notes tell of situations where Straub called officers “deaf and mute,” treated “employees as widgets,” and “berated and belittled” his staff.
The notes from Walker and Torok shed light on issues with Straub’s behavior that eventually led Mayor David Condon to demand Straub’s resignation in September. At the time, Condon said he only had heard of concerns about Straub’s behavior in the “last several weeks,” but the recently released notes show senior City Hall administrators were told of Straub’s alleged behavior 16 months earlier.
Another department member who was part of Straub’s original command staff, Carly Cortright, said she was aware of such issues stretching back that far. She recently filed a complaint with the city, alleging a hostile work environment under Straub, concerns about retaliation and gender discrimination. She did so, she said, because she believes no one at City Hall has her interests in mind.
Read more: www.spokesman.com/stories/2016/jan/29/notes-from-police-chief-frank-straubs-top-staff-sh/