On the day that two interim chiefs were sworn in to lead Westbrook’s Public Safety Department during a transitional period, the city was hit with its second notice of claim alleging sexual harassment.
As with Officer Melissa May’s intent to sue, filed in late August, police Officer Sandy Mailman is charging that the department is guilty of sexual harassment, a hostile work environment, gender discrimination, retaliation and whistleblower discrimination.
The claim notice was dated Friday, Sept. 26. Mailman has 90 days to file a suit in court.
In a statement released Monday afternoon that matches word for word the city’s official statement from August regarding May’s claim, Mayor Colleen Hilton said she is “surprised and disappointed” to receive the notice, given the “effort being made to address her concerns and maintain a workplace free of harassment and discrimination.”
Mailman’s claim, which is 70 pages, attempts to shed light not only on her negative experiences in the department since 2011, but also back up details outlined in May’s claim, which describes multiple instances of officers using derogatory language to describe her.
May’s 77-page document claims that she was the victim of harassment and retaliation following a routine traffic stop in January, when she ticketed the girlfriend of a fellow officer.
Like May, Mailman says the department, and city officials, were slow to respond to a formal complaint of retaliation that was made on April 2, and that following the complaint, was the target of further bullying from fellow officers.
Two weeks ago, Public Safety Director Michael Pardue announced his resignation from the post, stating that he intended to return to his consulting business and that the move had nothing to do with May’s claim against the department.
Like May, Mailman is represented by attorney Rebecca Webber.
On Monday morning, interim Police Chief Janine Roberts and interim Fire Chief Andrew Turcotte were sworn in during a short ceremony at the Public Safety building on Main Street, and both have pledged to help move the department forward from the controversy.
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