'We believe you': Mayor asks officer not to resign amid questions about harassment, intimidation

Calgary's mayor is encouraging the police officer who publicly resigned this week to consider staying on with the force.

Jen Magnus resigned at a police commission meeting earlier this week, saying she feared retaliation for speaking out about harassment inside the police service. 

Mayor Naheed Nenshi wasn't at that meeting, but has seen video of the emotional resignation.​

"It was an extraordinary heart-wrenching thing to watch," said Nenshi on Thursday.

• Calgary police officer's public resignation renews questions about harassment, intimidation on force

Nenshi says his message for Magnus, a 14-year veteran of the force, is not to resign.

"I'm so sorry that this has happened to you. We believe you. We will support you and I hope that you will still consider having a career at the Calgary Police Service — because it's people like you who are great officers, who are great public servants, who deserve better."

Magnus alleges she has been bullied, sexually harassed and intimidated. Her public resignation renewed questions about harassment and intimidation on the force.

'I have been bullied, sexually harassed, degraded and chastised,' says Calgary cop at public resignation

8 years ago

Duration 0:46

Saying she has endured continued bullying and sexual harassment and now fears retribution and retaliation, a 14-year Calgary police officer resigned publicly and tearfully at Tuesday's Calgary Police Commission meeting.

Nenshi says he's confident that Chief Roger Chaffin and the commission are on the right track to fixing the harassment issues inside the police service.

Calgarians have expectations that police officers and all public servants should not put up with bullying or harassment on the job, and should know they won't be punished for speaking out about such behaviour, he said.

"There are things that are unacceptable in a modern workforce. You don't send dirty pictures by text message, for example, to your co-workers. This is not rocket science. We've got to have a service that is welcoming and where people feel safe going to work every single day."

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