The public will learn what happened during an incident involving two prisoners in RCMP cells once an investigation has the chance to run its course, the mayor promised today (Sunday).

Until then Peter Milobar asked people to be patient and not pass judgment on those involved until all the details are known.

“The public has made it clear that they don't want things hidden. They don't want things quietly talked about and never acted upon,” he said, adding he's confident that won't be the case here.

But Milobar is not in a position to confirm media reports that two women, one of whom might be HIV positive, were placed in the same cell Aug. 18 and became involved in an intimate encounter that lasted between 30 and 60 minutes.

Global News, citing a well-placed source, reported Friday that RCMP and prison staff, who watched the encounter via video cameras for about seven minutes, did nothing to stop it.

Milobar said it would be wrong to speculate on bits and pieces of information before everyone involved knows what happened.

“I would prefer to make sure we have that complete package (of information) for the fairness of everybody involved and make sure the full investigation has run its course,” he said.

The Kamloops detachment issued a terse press release about 3:30 p.m. Friday indicating criminal and code of conduct investigations are underway against the seven employees.

“Criminal and internal code of conduct investigations were immediately launched and are focussed on the actions and or inactions of four RCMP members and three municipal staff,” stated the release.

“A criminal investigation is also underway that focuses on the actions of one of the two parties in the cells.”

Const. Cheryl Bush said no more information will be released until a later date. The investigation is being handled by the Kamloops serious crimes unit and the RCMP's E division serious crime team.