NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF-TV) — The head of Metro's 911 Center was placed on administrative leave Friday afternoon after he refused to resign.
In November, the city hired an outside investigator to look into claims of sexual harassment at the Department of Emergency Communications and other employee complaints.
Mayor Freddie O'Connell received that investigator's report Friday that outlined what he described as serious factual findings substantiated against Director Steve Martini.
The mayor then asked for Martini's resignation and he declined.
Martini was immediately placed on administrative leave and the city is now taking steps to fire him.
This comes after a NewsChannel 5 investigation into longstanding complaints by employees at the 911 Center about harassment, toxic working conditions and concerns about Martini and his management style.
Initially Mayor O'Connell stood by Martini, insisting the city could not take action on anonymous complaints. But last November, NewsChannel 5 Investigates interviewed a current dispatcher who came forward and described how she had filed a sexual harassment complaint and it took nearly a year for 911 managers to address her concerns. That prompted the mayor to launch the independent review.
That final report from that review outlines a laundry list of issues at the Emergency Communications Department including that Director Martini’s management practices and management style created a pervasive culture of fear, dissatisfaction and disengagement at the DEC.
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