DENVER (CO)
Newsweek
February 28, 2018
By Chantal Da Silva
Denver’s Mayor has issued an apology after a veteran police detective accused the politician of sexually harassing her while she was a member of his security detail six years ago.
Denver police detective Leslie Branch-Wise said Mayor Michael Hancock made inappropriate comments and repeatedly sent her text messages during 2012—his first year in office. The detective went public with her allegations in an interview with Denver7 on Tuesday.
In one text, shown to the news broadcaster, Hancock complimented Branch-Wise’s haircut and wrote: “You made it hard on a brotha to keep it correct every day.”
In another message, the politician told Branch-Wise “you look sexy in all that black,” after spotting her on television in the crowd at a Denver Nuggets game.
The veteran police detective said the mayor also sent her an inappropriate message about pole dancing: “So I just watched this story on women taking pole dancing classes. Have you ever taken one? Why do women take the course? If not have you ever considered taking one and why? Your thoughts?”
Branch-Wise said she did not respond to the mayor’s provocative messages, but alleged he kept going, writing: “Be careful, I’m curious. LOL!”
When asked how she interpreted the text message about pole-dancing, Branch-Wise said it signalled that Hancock did not respect her as an employee.
“It was a hard time in my life,” Branch-Wise said. “I didn’t have anyone to tell, I didn’t have anyone to talk to. That’s my boss,” Branch-Wise told Denver7.
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