New Public Safety Commissioner--Kenai Police Chief Charles "Chuck" Kopp replaces Walt Monegan

Anchorage Politics Blog links to this announcement from the Governor:

Governor Palin Names New Public Safety Commissioner

July 14, 2008, Anchorage, Alaska – Governor Sarah Palin today named Charles “Chuck” Kopp, chief of the Kenai Police Department, as Commissioner of the Department of Public Safety.

“Chuck has dedicated his career to public safety and shares my commitment to strengthening our communities and combating drug and alcohol problems in rural Alaska,” Governor Palin said. “He is a person of great integrity and I am confident that he will provide excellent leadership and direction to the Department of Public Safety.”

Kopp, 43, has 21 years of policing and public safety experience and has worked for the Kenai Police Department since 1989. He currently serves on the Alaska Judicial Council and has served on the Alaska Police Standards Council.

“I embrace this great opportunity and look forward to advancing Governor Palin’s public safety initiatives,” said Kopp. “I am committed to strengthening the services the department provides to the people of Alaska.”

Kopp holds a bachelor’s degree in justice from the University of Alaska Anchorage and is a graduate of the Federal Bureau of Investigation National Academy, among many other professional certifications. He resides in Kenai with his wife and three children.

Hmmmm..."shares my commitment to strengthening our communities and combating drug and alcohol problems in rural Alaska."

Kopp replaces Walt Monegan, who was fired on Friday "out of the blue" according to Monegan.

There was more information on KTVA Channel 11 over the weekend:

Monegan was appointed by Governor Sarh Palin to be the head of the Department of Public Safety a few years ago, but Friday she asked him to take a lower job inside DPS as the executive director of the Alcohol Beverage Control Board. Monegan told CBS 11 News Saturday on the phone that he turned that job down.

Monegan said he was told that the governor wants to, "take DPS in a different direction" and that the request for him to step down was a, "bit of a shock."

Monegan says he respects the decision of the governor to make changes in her cabinet, but did not want to take the job with the ABC.

So is the Rural focus going to be solely on Alcohol and Drugs now and away from sexual assault and DV? Inquiring minds...

Also, Chief Kopp is not a stranger...he was her Transition Team Public Safety Leader. So 10 points for those folks who said she'd bring in a "buddy."