Kamloops launches investigation into mayor’s practice of recording phone calls
Kamloops has launched an investigation into allegations the mayor has been recording phone calls with City staff.
As part of its legal duty to provide a safe and bullying and harassment free workplace, the City of Kamloops is investigating Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson's practice of inappropriately recording phone conversations, according to a City of Kamloops news release issued today, Sept. 28.
The investigation will focus on the mayor recording conversations with City staff members as well as his conversations with City staff members in the presence of non-City representatives without the knowledge or consent of those staff members, the City said.
READ MORE: Kamloops mayor under investigation for harassing multiple city employees
On Sept. 5, Mayor Hamer-Jackson disclosed that a telephone conversation with CAO David Trawin had been recorded without Trawin’s knowledge and without his consent.
Since then, the media release said the mayor has admitted the telephone conversation took place in his vehicle in the presence of his wife who was the one recording the conversation without Trawin’s knowledge.
And Mayor Hamer-Jackson admitted that this has happened before.
He said that on more than one occasion he has conducted telephone calls with others about municipal business in the presence of his wife, who has taken notes.
The City said in the release that “Council took swift action to ensure that the City is properly fulfilling its legal duty to provide a safe workplace for its employees, free of bullying and harassment.”
“As this is now an open investigation, Council will refrain from commenting further so as to avoid undermining the independence and integrity of that investigation,” the release read.
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