CPS officer at centre of harassment scandal questions senior management

Allegations of sexual harassment once again dominated the agenda of a Calgary Police Commission meeting, as the former officer at the centre of the scandal posed questions to senior management.

“I attempted to meet with the chief a second time to discuss my resignation following the completion of my long term disability, but that never happened,” said Jennifer Magnus Ward. “I do not wish to go into further detail as it is still painful.”

“In correspondence between my lawyers and Calgary Police lawyers, Calgary Police lawyers stated they do not believe there is a culture of bullying and harassment within the Calgary Police Service. This leads me to my question. I have reviewed both FOIPed documents and correspondence between legal counsel and other internal police members that suggest Calgary Police Service does not believe there is a problem with bullying and harassment in the service, despite the findings of the 2009 and 2013 audits and studies. My question is how can the Calgary Police personally investigate and correct a problem they deny exists, and a problem they created and perpetuated? If as CPS says there is no bullying and harassment, is this not a huge waste of taxpayers’ money?” Magnus Ward asked.

She also confirmed, after some speculation, that she officially resigned last week. Magnus Ward will officially be done at the end of May once her benefits run out.

Her question came as the Calgary Police Service unveiled its seven-point plan to achieve a respectful workplace.

Magnus Ward says she feels a sense of relief knowing that this chapter is behind her and vows she will continue to attend these meetings in a bid to hold them accountable.

The former police officer believes it may now be time for some members of senior management to step aside in a bid to let the real healing begin.

Chair Brian Thiessen thanked her for again stepping forward in her own attempts to hold both the Calgary Police Service and the Calgary Police Commission accountable.

Thiessen, a lawyer by trade, steered clear of trying to speak for the lawyers at the centre of Magnus Ward’s allegations.

He later told reporters it’s clearly a difficult position for everyone involved.

“Clearly the CPS has identified that it’s a serious issue that they need to work on. I can’t comment on communications between counsel. I can say as legal counsel that sometimes those get heated, and sometimes things are said in the moment. But I can tell you that you all saw today, the commission has seen consistently from the service, that they take this issue very seriously. They’re working incredibly hard on it, and they have concrete timelines moving forward,” said the commission chair.

Thiessen adds he’s optimistic, after what he saw Tuesday, that progress is being made.

Calgary Police Chief Roger Chaffin denied the allegations levied at CPS legal counsel by Magnus Ward.

“One of the big difficulties in this process right now is remarks like that are unproductive,” said Chaffin. “Our service, as you saw today, is exhausting every effort we can to respect the need to have a respectful workplace.”

Chaffin says the legal counsel has been working very closely with him, and they have never once suggested that there isn’t a problem.

“It’s just not true,” he said. “We have an obligation to get it right, and that’s all we do right now is exhaust ourselves in making sure we get this right for the future of policing, for the current policing, but also for the future policing.”

He says the documents that Magnus Ward FOIPed will form part of the investigation, and adds there are a lot of people involved in the work going on behind the scenes.

“I think comments like that without context are meant to be more hurtful than they are to be productive,” he said.

The chief steered clear of commenting or confirming Magnus Ward’s claims that the two were unable to meet.

The new seven-point plan unveiled today calls for sweeping changes and reviews to take place by May of this year. They’re also working on rolling out a whistle-blower program for its members.

The Alberta Human Rights is being invited to come in and do a review of the work being done by members of upper management.

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