NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell is now calling for an independent review at Metro's 911 Emergency Communications Center.
NewsChannel 5 Investigates has been following complaints from former employees at the emergency call center.
Most recently, on Wednesday, we heard from a current dispatcher who shared her own concerns, and what she had to say, it turned out, was news to the mayor.
O'Connell assured reporters Wednesday morning, " We are eager to protect employees and make sure that if there are concerns that they get followed through on and we take every concern seriously," when asked about complaints from 911 employees.
And O'Connell maintained, "So far we have not found formal complaints filed," explaining that no dispatchers had filed a formal complaint about working conditions at the ECD.
Earlier that same morning, Hannah McGuire, a dispatcher and a trainer at the Metro Department of Emergency Communications (DEC,) told a different story.
"I was sexually harassed by a domestic partner who also works at the agency numerous times while we were within the building," she shared.
At a news conference organized by the Metro Women's Caucus, McGuire described how she had, in fact, filed a sexual harassment complaint last November and how it took nearly a year for 911 managers to create what she called "a safe work environment."
"Today I'm here specifically to share how I've been failed during an HR investigation," McGuire said.
This prompted the mayor the following day to issue a new statement.
"I appreciate the courage of the employee...who came forward...with specific allegations related to her work at DEC. It was the first time I was made aware of the allegations, and I want to be clear that we have a zero tolerance policy for sexual harassment in Metro government," O'Connell said.
The mayor went on to say that Metro will bring in an outside counsel now to review the allegations.
Iit's likely the mayor will also try to determine why he'd been told that there had been no ongoing or recent complaints.
NewsChannel 5 Investigates has previously talked with former 911 employees who have described what they call toxic work conditions at the ECD and who have expressed concerns about 911 director Steve Martini and his management style.
McGuire is the first current employee to come forward and speak publicly about conditions at the DEC now.
"I love my job, but it has been made more difficult by the culture cultivated, tolerated, and encouraged by Director Martini," she stated.
McGuire also maintained that she's not the only one who has filed a complaint with HR.
She told us she was "thrilled" and "overjoyed" to hear the city would be investigating.
Metro is bringing in the same law firm that it hired two years ago to survey employees and assess the culture at the 911 Center after a pattern of complaints then.
Meanwhile, we have made repeated attempts to get reaction from the 911 director, but his office has not responded.
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