Reinstate Chuck Kopp??? Let it die, people, let it die...

First here's the history:

Chuck Kopp replaces Walt Monegan
Introducing Chuck Kopp press event
Chuck Kopp--curioser and curioser...
"The Alaska Hillbillies"
Anticipating Kopp's departure
Chuck Kopp resigns effective immediately

In Friday's Peninsula Clarion, we find a story that's been picked up by the AP:

About four dozen friends and family members of Chuck Kopp jammed the Kenai City Council chamber Wednesday night urging the council to reinstate the former Kenai police chief.

Mayor Pat Porter informed the supporters that hiring and firing of city employees at the department head level is the responsibility of the city manager, not the city council.

The interesting part is who was there to support him...

A number of Kopp's supporters said they were affiliated with Cook Inlet Academy, which was founded by Kopp's father. Kopp is a past-president of the school...

...A Sterling woman who described herself as being a friend of Chuck and Trish Kopp for 16 years, Robin Forci, said city council members should consider the legacy they want to leave.

...and who wasn't there...

City Manager Rick Koch, who did not attend Wednesday's meeting, has been attending a hockey camp out of state with his son.

I'll bet Mr. Koch is thinking that hockey camp was great timing.

There is no way they are going to rehire Chuck Kopp. Besides the number of lies he told to the media (i.e. all of you) as well as the Governor, I described some of the stuff I was receiving leading up to Mr. Kopp's resignation. His departure caused me to drop any and all efforts to "research" the claims that have been made by anonymous sources. I'm guessing wayyyyy more powerful media folks than this blogger-chick have the same information and the same ability to do that research...if we are all properly motivated.

Reinstating him as police chief in Kenai would motivate me as I'm sure it would motivate others.

Folks down in Kenai should let this go. Based on my information, there could be much more than a "hug" in his past. If you really care about Chuck and his family, find him a different job.

Chuck Kopp---curiouser and curiouser...OK, I mean slimier and slimier...

Picture courtesy of Dept. of Public Safety

This was pretty chicken-shit:

This coming up shortly: "Department of Public Safety Commissioner Charles Kopp will have a press availability for news media at 3 p.m. today to make a statement concerning the claims levied against him while he was with the Kenai Police Department. Kenai Mayor Pat Porter will attend in support of her former police chief."

Alaska Politics posted it at 2:53...I'm guessing they heard about it late as well.

Here's KTUU's story on the women who is accusing him.



I was at the "press availability" event last week where this was originally discussed. Also, here is the letter the Kenai Police Department sent the woman.

I can tell you from my own EEO experience, if there is good evidence that it truly happened and the victim is willing, they'll move the victim as part of a off-the-record settlement. If there's damning evidence and they don't want the victim to take it any farther, they'll move the perpetrator. They won't move anyone if there's no proof.

Chuck Kopp lied...this was a settlement.

***UPDATE--the "press availability" event***

Speaking to reporters this afternoon, Kopp disclosed he was reprimanded, with a letter, by the Kenai city council after an investigation found to have improperly hugged the employee multiple times. He said the hugs were non-sexual, in a "friend-to-friend capacity," and he has no idea why the woman eventually filed a sexual harassment complaint with the city.

He disputes that he ever kissed her, as the woman claims. He also disputed that there was a witness to a kiss, as she contended in an interview with KTUU-Channel 2 yesterday.

K...the letter said they did an investigation...don't you think that they talked to the people involved during an investigation?

KOPP...THEY MOVED YOU OUT OF YOUR SUPERVISORY POSITION, YOU THROWBACK! DON'T YOU THINK THAT BOLSTERS HER CLAIMS?

He said the city took the complaint seriously and he realized that the workplace hugs were inappropriate. He said he received a letter of reprimand after the investigation. He said he appealed the finding, and reached an agreement with the city that the letter would be removed after two years if there were no further incidents. He said there were none and the letter was removed.

The only reason we know that Kopp lied the first time is because the victim produced this above-linked letter:

"You may want to know what action has been taken against Chief Kopp as a result of this investigation. That is certainly understandable; but Title 23 of the Kenai Municipal Code requires personnel matters, regardless of their nature, to be kept confidential."

Basically, he can claim whatever he wants about the aftermath and any other potential problems and we'll never know...the Kenai Municipal Code prevents anyone but the victim from speaking out.

Chuck "I am not a sex harasser" Kopp, as Commissioner of Public Safety, is responsible for all aspects of Alaska law enforcement. Kopp is responsible for the difficult and sensitive task of finding solutions to Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, which exist in Alaska in crisis proportions. Kopp's past renders him ineffective in this most-important task.

Chuck "I am not a sex harasser" Kopp needs to go.