Yup, I'm getting "those" emails about the Governor and her Monegan SNAFU too

There is someone I've been talking to for awhile about the entire Monegan issue. This individual has a rather close relationship with the State Troopers through a third party and has been very agitated by Walt Monegan's treatment at the hands of the Governor. However, this person's sensitive position means that he/she has been unwilling to even let me put in a quote anonymously...until now.

I've redacted whatever I believed was necessary to maintain anonymity yet I believe I kept the clarity of the message:

"I have some serious beef with the Governor. I didn't realize the tactics she was going to use against Monegan, and much of that means I REALLY can't comment on it. Much of her basis for firing him was about recruitment - that he "didn't do enough" to get more trooper positions filled.

[phrase redacted] ****** worked for them in the recruitment division for several years, and seriously - what Palin said is offensive on so many levels. I know - and even occasionally assisted ***** on the recruitment efforts, and I can tell you they were doing more for trooper recruitment than I've seen any other company/organization do for anyone. They don't just put out newspaper ads and hope for the best.

I know you were just talking about people going "you need to talk about this" a lot to you, but I'll add another to the list. I really would talk about it [phrase redacted] but I think (it) would get noticed in the wrong way."

I cannot even imagine how many folks in DPS and the Troopers have been holding in frustration like this. Talk about a morale killer.

Walt Monegan hasn't earned these people's loyalty through charm. Walt Monegan earned their loyalty because he made it clear THROUGH HIS ACTIONS that his employees and the people of Alaska were his priorities and he was willing to do the job that needed to get done to solve the root of the problems...not just slap a bandaid on them and call it good.

That kind of integrity lost him his job.

****UPDATE****

Andrew Halcro has some interesting "rumors" on his blog about the Monegan firing.

However, the part I noticed most was showing how Palin contradicted herself when she said the recruiting was one of the issues leading to his firing:

"Unfortunately as my term progressed, Commissioner Monegan was not making headway on key goals, such as filling numerous trooper vacancies." Governor Palin 8/13/08

What she said in her State of the State speech:

"In Public Safety and Corrections, after years of positions left vacant, we've doubled academy recruits." Governor Palin 1/15/08

So after telling Alaskans that Monegan had doubled academy recruits to fill vacancies, she turns around and says she fired Monegan because he wasn't attracting recruits to fill vacancies.

My head hurts.

Yeah, I think that Alaskan's demand for Ibuprofen is going to spike in the next few months.

Press Event: Introducing Chuck Kopp as the new Commissioner of Public Safety

Yours truly on the right (photo courtesy of The Department of Public Safety)

I went to the State Trooper's building today for the "press availability" event (Megan Peters corrected me when I called it a "press conference") at 1:00. He talked about looking forward to working with the Legislature, being an advocate for the Troopers and focusing on recruitment, moving forward with improvements in Rural Alaska, including reducing substance abuse. He gave pretty much the standard spiel and definitely no "new agenda."

Then the first question came:

Corey Allen Young, Channel 11--"I'd just like to get your side of the story regarding the sexual harassment allegations made."

Commissioner Kopp--"[There has] never been a sexual harassment allegation that resulted in a lawsuit or a settlement by the City of Kenai. There is nothing in my record that would give me a black eye or would hinder me in my roll as Commissioner of Public Safety."

Then a follow up from Channel 11, then a similar question from Channel 13.

Commissioner Kopp: "There is no personal settlement there is no public settlement as in there is nothing in the record."

**raised eyebrow**

Channel 11 and 13--more questions

Commissioner Kopp--"There is one that has happened, period," said Kopp. "But I don't want to comment on that. There is absolutely nothing in my record that I am ashamed of. There is no skeletons in my closet. There is no monster looming to crawl out to say, 'Did this happen?'"

Public Safety Commissioner Chuck Kopp speaks to the press (photo courtesy of The Department of Public Safety)

The back story per channel 11's website:

While no lawsuit or settlement came from the sexual harassment complaint, we do know one was made; and so did Governor Palin before she appointed Kopp, Alaska's top cop.

The governor's office said there was no substance to the complaint filed three years ago and Commissioner Kopp continues to have her full support. After being pressed on the issue several times, Kopp did admit to the complaint...

...CBS 11 News is in contact with the woman who filed the complaint and she wants to tell her side of the story, but doesn't want to do that until she can talk to her attorney. He is not going to be back in town until later this week.

Megan Peters jumped in and said this is about "talking about the future of DPS and where we are headed."

K...let's ask a "future" question.

So I asked "The reason [given] for Walt Monegan's firing was so that they could go 'in a new direction' so I wanted to know specifically what you wanted to do differently than Walt Monegan was doing."

Commissioner Kopp--"I'm not going to comment on prior leadership or the circumstances there. I'm just going to move forward with a positive focus. I've talked about recruitment and retention, talking about improving the working conditions for the employees of the Department of Public Safety, looking at being accountable and responsive in all our Divisions to the people of Alaska as we execute our mission.

Me--"I was wondering what was new about this direction?"

Kopp--"We're building on the good things of the past and we are looking forward to further refining our approach, our fiscal responsibility, our accountability. We're looking forward to moving forward and having a credible (*muffled*) policy."

Corey from Channel 11 pointed out that this was all the same things the Governor has been saying and that Walt Monegan has been saying. He asked for more specifics on recruitment and...again...we heard some of the same things we've been hearing--that we have to target people with an "adventurous spirit" who want to live in Rural Alaska.

I have heard good things from others about Chuck Kopp and though I wonder how he'll handle 800 state employees vs. the 30 he dealt with in Kenai, he probably deserves a chance...if he can handle this "sexual harassment" issue better than he did today.

However, I left the press room thinking less about Chuck Kopp and wondering more about Walt Monegan and why that change was needed?