State unveils new policy on harassment investigations

State Department of Personnel Commissioner Randy Camp had been ordered by Gov. Phil Bredesen last month to develop the policies after documents were shredded in a pair of highly publicized harassment cases this year involving officials appointed by the governor.

“What Commissioner Camp is trying to do is ensure that there is a process in place in every department,” department spokeswoman Lola Potter said Friday.

Bredesen said he first learned of the practice of shredding documents after he demoted Mack Cooper, his top lobbyist, for sexual harassment. When he learned last month that documents in an unsubstantiated harassment allegation against former Correction Commissioner Quenton White had also been shredded, he ordered a halt to the practice.

The Women’s Political Caucus in Nashville has backed Bredesen’s handling of the investigations, while open records groups and political foes have been critical of revelations that documents have been shredded.

Regulations outlined in the memo issued by Camp require agencies to:

— Preserve documents related to harassment investigations.

— Inform people who lodge complaints, those who are accused and possible witnesses that the documents are public, including their names.

— Have investigators use a standard form for each allegation of harassment, and create a standard memorandum for each case.

— Have each department designate who is responsible for receiving complaints, investigating them and to whom the results are reported.

— Inform all parties that retaliation is forbidden.

— Keep records of disciplinary actions in employees’ personnel files.

The state has withheld some harassment records requested by The Tennessean and The Associated Press. Bredesen said he has been advised that attorney-client privilege trumps the state’s public records law.

However, in cases that were released to the news outlets, those whose names were in the records were informed that the records were being made public, Potter said.

“And some of those people were traumatized, quite frankly,” Potter said.

Bredesen has said he favors keeping the names of victims confidential, feeling they would be reluctant to come forward with complaints if they know the charge will be made public.