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Kopp: "I am not a sex harasser"

Posted by Alaska_Politics

Posted: July 22, 2008 - 3:50 pm

Department of Public Safety Commissioner Charles Kopp at today's news conference in Anchorage. (Bill Roth/ADN)

From David Hulen in Anchorage --

New Public Safety Commissioner Charles Kopp is strongly disputing that he sexually harassed an employee when he was Kenai police chief. He says he did hug an employee in the workplace three or four times, which generated a sexual harassment reprimand.

Speaking to reporters this afternoon, Kopp disclosed he was reprimanded, with a letter, by the Kenai city council after an investigation found he 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.

"That is a lie," he said.

The employee who made the 2005 accusation was a longtime friend who he'd known since high school, he said. The woman was a friend with both he and his wife, Kopp said, and they routinely hugged when greeting and saying goodbye to each other outside of work. The woman had worked for the department before Kopp was police chief and was hired again after he became chief and an opening came up, he said.

At the time of the complaint, Kopp was also the acting Kenai city manager.

He said he hugged her three or four times in the workplace. He said at least half of the hugs were initiated by the woman.

"Nothing other than that," he said. "A friend to friend hug."

He said he rubbed her neck, once, with his thumbs when she complained of extreme pain. He said he asked if she wanted him to rub her neck and she said "OK."

Her claim of sexual harassment came as a "complete surprise," he said.

"I did not kiss her. I never sought nor requested an intimate relationship with her. I never sought to make her uncomfortable in her job," he said.

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.

He described the hugs as innocent and that he learned a lesson about sexual harassment and appropriate workplace behavior.

"I’ve always done every job I’ve ever done with honor and integrity. There is one thing I am not. I am not a sex harasser. There are many things I am. I am a positive, goal driven individual with high expectations for this department."

"My record is clean," he said, and noted that he had nothing but outstanding performance evaluations while Kenai police chief.

When pressed, he said there were no other similar complaints.

Kenai Mayor Pat Porter appeared with Kopp and said, "We are very supportive of him in our community."

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80 July 25, 2008 - 2:26am | jenn_bennett

Hef

Anyone else picking up a Hugh Hefner vibe from this guy?

July 25, 2008 - 2:52pm | Sheridan_Sheraton

KOPP/KOTT

Ego-Narcisist-legend-in-his -own-mind?

How often did he ask himself:

How can anyone refuse my passes and come-ons?

79 July 25, 2008 - 6:48pm | Sheridan_Sheraton

This KTUU feed is Gold.

Listen to 1:35 on the timekeeper where they cut back to Kopp.

There's only one that I've ever been [oop?] ma,..... has ever happened period. And um And, um But, you know, I dont want to comment on that.

This is indescision and indication of untruth.

He's expecting that others might likely come forward now. EEK!

78 July 24, 2008 - 6:32pm |

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July 25, 2008 - 12:07am | Sheridan_Sheraton

No flag yet

Does someone have them on the phone yet?

77 July 24, 2008 - 2:03pm |

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July 25, 2008 - 12:08am | Sheridan_Sheraton

Was this 'Another victim's?"

76 July 23, 2008 - 2:37pm | desaerica

Power as an aphrodisiac.

No, Commissioner Koppafeel must leave.....now.....With all this new power thrust upon him, I shudder to think how this will effect him. Now there are three statements made by public servants that will go down in history: "I am not gay," "I did not have sex with that woman" and "I am not a sex harasser." The word hugs will never be seen the same way again. History has been made once again in Alaska where men are men and women are women and never the twain shall.........

75 July 23, 2008 - 1:47pm | robc907

Let's be careful here...

After reading the article and looking over these comments this is starting to sound like a witch hunt. A man's good name is on the line here and his family's reputation is at stake.

Anyone can make allegations and it's often very hard to dispute them, even when you've done nothing wrong. I know first hand how these kinds of charges can devastate someone's life. It could easily happen to you.

Aren't we better than this as a collective society? We need to give this guy a little elbow room and quit the name calling.

74 July 23, 2008 - 12:17pm | Stags_Leap

Governor Todd Palin

is Sarah Palin's real problem. The abuse of power that may have occured when trying to get Wooten fired comes in second. And Kopp-a-Feel is third. I always felt it was weird to hire a top cop -named Kopp.

While I am making light of these issues -each one of them is very serious...and should be investigated by a special investigator.

I'd also start looking at how much in total -as far as Palin family member travel costs -has been charged to the state? -a violation of the Ethics Act.

I'd also look at the babysitting arrangements....whispers of Jane Swift.

July 23, 2008 - 1:54pm | robc907

Investigations can be tricky...

It's a little funny that the same people who feel Wooten was fairly investigated by his fellow troopers feel we need a "special investigator" in this case. Hypocrisy much?

July 23, 2008 - 4:05pm | password

Great point...

And the same folks who wish to burn the witch Wooten at the stake are tripping over themselves to defend Saint Koppafeel against the hordes.

Oh- sorry, nevermind...

73 July 23, 2008 - 11:26am | breed

Kopp

Do the Governor,yourself,your wife, your kids, and this great state of Alaska a favor and bow out as graceful as possible. From this time foward you will always be known as Chuck Kopp-a-feel. Good luck in Kenai. With a ten dollar handle like that I think you would do better in Wasilly.

72 July 23, 2008 - 7:43am | Birch

The Gov

took a big hit with this Monegan/Kopp scandal. She ends up looking like a vindictive fool, and that is far from the image she hoped to project. She should take the guy (it has to be a numb-cortex guy) who sponsored this Monegan/Kopp firing/appointment fiasco to the woodshed for a little heart to heart discussion.

Btw, Congreve wrote "She Stoops to Conquer." I guess, that old 'friend', whose neck Kopp admits massaging, has conquered once again.

July 23, 2008 - 10:04am | jacekones

"the guy"

Would that guy be Todd, perhaps?

71 July 23, 2008 - 6:04am | pixieteeth

How pleasant

That he has become more explanatory of late. Well, Walt Monegan is impossible to replace. I liked Mr. Kopps previous name. I wish he would have stuck with that. Why'd he change his name. Did he used to wear a leather jacket and a pig tail? Or a braid? (not that it's bad or anything...)

July 23, 2008 - 9:15am | moonshine

kopps previous name?

What was Kopps previous name? How you hear he changed it? Thanks.

July 23, 2008 - 9:43am | password

The Alaska Ear reported it.

Chuck Kopp's birth name was- not kidding here- Chuck Crapuchettes. He legally changed it to Chuck Kopp.

While I can understand that the name Crapuchettes might be somewhat of a challenge while growing up, I also believe strongly that anyone who legally changes their name to Chuck Kopp should then be legally barred from ever being a cop.

July 25, 2008 - 1:48am | jenn_bennett

delicious!!!!

His previous surname sounds like something you'd buy at a fair or carnival back east, something with powdered sugar on top...

July 25, 2008 - 1:52am | Sheridan_Sheraton

Bad tasting,

With the guy selling toothbrushes in the next booth?

July 23, 2008 - 2:42pm |

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70 July 23, 2008 - 12:27am | mikeswick

kopp a hug

while his hugs may of been "friendly" it is hard to understand what role they played in the workplace especially as a boss to an employee not to smart but I guess hes not getting hired because of his intelligence

69 July 23, 2008 - 12:17am | haroldb_99501

Department of Public Saftey Commissioner shoud be above reproach

We need someone else in there leading our Public Saftey Department that doesn't have a history of Lying on Day one of the job.

If this is Palin's "New Direction"...maybe we should turn this ship around before we run the stupid thing up onto "Sex Harrasser Reef"...

... DPS is an embattled, embroiled department with no direction and incapable leadership....

What a tragic mess for the people of the State of Alaska...

July 23, 2008 - 12:21am | Sheridan_Sheraton

Get out on deck..

Ring the bell...

We're headed into pea soup...

68 July 23, 2008 - 12:11am | haroldb_99501

Lets be CLEAR

Job action WAS taken. Kopp is a Liar and a sex harasser.

and these are the facts..

67 July 23, 2008 - 12:02am | akpahome

Lets be very clear!

Chuck Kopp was NEVER found guilty of Sexual Harrasment! At best, the city only warned Chuck to never hug any employee regardless of friendships. Even that letter was removed from his file because he appealed it and won after proving his case. No reprimand was EVER issued accusing Chuck of sexual harrassment by the city. He was NEVER found guilty of that. You need to be clear on the facts before you all accuse Chuck Kopp of being guilty of this crime.

July 23, 2008 - 10:21am | banjo

Yes lets be clear

Alaska has the highest rate of domestic abuse in the nation and highest rate of sexual abuse in the nation. Our female governor just appointed a man who readily admits to acting inappropriately with a female employee. The facts are clear, he has admitted wrong doing. Sarah appears to be more concerned about keeping her conservative street cred than doing the right thing in this instance. She just set women back a decade or two.

July 23, 2008 - 12:11am | Sheridan_Sheraton

You realy want to see this guy appointment confirmed by the legi

You realy want to see this guy appointment confirmed by the legislature.

66 July 23, 2008 - 12:02am | akpahome

Lets be very clear!

July 23, 2008 - 12:11am | Sheridan_Sheraton

You realy want to see this guy appointment confirmed by the legi

You realy want to see this guy appointment confirmed by the legislature.

65 July 22, 2008 - 11:35pm | haroldb_99501

What a Complete waste of time and resources...

... about as bad it gets. The New direction is apparently wasting time and resources hiring CONFIRMED sex harasser... Sorry, Chuck. But, your were removed from a position becasue your administrative assistant filed a complaint against you. The fact that Chuck "Kopp-a-feel" isn't up to snuff on what sex harrassment even is indicates his GROSS inadequacay for leading a department as important to the State as the Department of Public Saftey....

"Good Lord"

July 22, 2008 - 11:38pm | akpahome

Chuck Kopp was not removed

He was never "removed" but she was instead given a different supervisor during the investigation which Chuck GLADLY agreed to. It would be helpful to know the facts... We here at the city of Kenai know what happened and you guys who live to bash good people should be ashamed!

July 23, 2008 - 4:54am | Norats1

Does the city know you are

Does the city know you are wasting their time playing on the computer? I bet not.

July 25, 2008 - 1:51am | jenn_bennett

Rude comment.

I sense a big hug coming in your direction...

July 25, 2008 - 7:27am | pixieteeth

Hugs all around

Mr. Kopp was removed from being the supervisor of the "victim". That is/was a "removal" from being in the position of HER supervisor was it not such a removal? Far be it from me to parse etc. I mean Kopp ceased to be in the position of supervising the City of Kenai victim at all didn't he? It's all ancient history now though apparently. May all your formal distributive fallacies come true...with sugar on top...

July 23, 2008 - 12:07am | link82

City Worker

He wasn't just removed as her supervisor during the investigation, he was removed as her supervisor PERMANENTLY!!!! You're right, we here at the City of Kenai do know what happened and we are disgusted!!!!

July 22, 2008 - 11:45pm | haroldb_99501

"excuse me" ?

..."Bash good people?"

I'm sorry, job action was taken becasue Chuck didn't even understand what harrassing is. The victim, warned this man and he continued.

"A new Direction?!?!?!" ...feel a little puke coming up in my mouth here.. It is sickening.... knowing that a sex harrasser is in charge of "Public Saftey" in Alaska...

July 22, 2008 - 11:58pm | akpahome

it wasn't harrassment

she only filed harrassment charges because Chuck did not return her advances. The city did a thorough investigation and took out his reprimand after he provided proof that he was innocent. He's not an idiot who doesn't understand what sexual harrassment is. Unfortunately the paper only prints part of what Chuck said at the press conference to make him look like he doesn't know his left foot from his right. He stated that he understands more about the entire process due to this insane charge. You don't even know what happened so it's interesting that you feel so violently opposed to Chuck. Chuck proved his innocense. The city agreed when appealed and removed the letter from his file. They are completely behind him, I don't understand why you still think there is something more?? or why you feel puke rising up? Is it perhaps your own bile emerging??

July 25, 2008 - 7:39am | pixieteeth

wretched

Individuals do not NEED to know all the tawdry private details. The nice and true thing is that consciences trained by ideals know immediately that someone who "runs" the department in "new directions" needs to be above ALL reproach. This has become a reproach. Why must we reproach this department? Why must we saddle its mission with a reproach? What republican agenda is served? Alaska is not served by this new republican direction of reproach. Why do we want to hamstring an enforcement department at all at this time? This seems like an unwise new direction to stubbornly go to simply prove that we have the power (today, in Alaska) to do this reproachful thing to Alaska.

July 23, 2008 - 4:58am | Norats1

I bet I would understand

I bet I would understand more about the process too. Funny, but why didn't Chuck mention he appealed instead of saying that he behaved and kept his hands to himself for two years. Two different things me thinks. It is painfully clear you don't know the whole story about Kopp-a-feel.

There is something more, lots more. It's a shame some of Kenai's finest are too afraid to step forward and tell the truth about him and his two faced ways.

July 23, 2008 - 1:35am | gcp

Funny how your "informed opinion" contradicts Kopp's statement

Because HE claimed that it was a misunderstanding between he and the woman and HE said that the City agreed to remove the letter if, after two years, he did not commit ANOTHER violation. He didn't and so they did. Those are HIS words. So....you know more than the guy in question here?

And really...."she only filed ....charges because Chuck didn't return her advances"....youbetcha. Go wait for the Easter Bunny.

63 July 22, 2008 - 11:17pm | IGuess

Do The Right Thing

I want to raise an issue that has not had enough attention in all of this – integrity. On every Public Safety badge and every Trooper car these three words are prominently displayed: Loyalty, Integrity, and Courage. These words embody what we, as the public, should be able to expect from the men and women of that agency, top to bottom.

The word integrity has been focused in on by the news photographers during the recent press conferences held by Commissioner Kopp. I think they have done that as a subtle means of suggesting that Commissioner Kopp may not be living up to that ideal.

Look back at the first press conference. Commissioner Kopp is asked to give his side of the story concerning the allegation of sexual harassment filed against him when he was Chief of Police in Kenai. His response that day (7/15/2008): “There has never been a sexual harassment allegation that resulted in a lawsuit or a settlement by the city of Kenai and there's nothing in my record that gives me a black eye or hinders me in my role as commissioner of public safety.”

That same day, Governor Palin issued a statement to the effect that the allegations against Kopp were found to be baseless.

Now look at his press statement on 7/21/2008. On the same subject he says: “No job action has ever been taken against me.”

On that same day, Governor Palin issued a statement of support and says that she looked at the investigation that was done and was satisfied that Kopp had been cleared of the allegations.

Then there is that pesky letter from the Kenai city attorney to the person who filed the complaint. In that letter, the attorney informs the person that, as a result of their investigation, Kopp was immediately removed as her supervisor and that their intent in the action was “one of immediate remedial action to insure that you work in a harassment-free environment.”

On 7/22/2008, Kopp holds another press conference. This time he says that there was, in fact, a harassment complaint and that there was, in fact, an action taken (that was, in fact, a settlement).

Somebody has clearly lead the Governor down the primrose path on this. Somebody else has committed the cardinal sin for a Public Safety commissioner – lying to the public. On day one.

His carefully worded statements on day one would have asked us to believe that there had never been a complaint and/or at least one that resulted in a settlement. Clearly an intentionally misleading statement. Deception by omission. However you want to characterize it. There was a complaint. It did result in a settlement with the city. The city took corrective action. The person making the complaint accepted that as a settlement of the issue. Settlements don’t have to and often don’t include a monetary payment. They often, as is the case here, result in a corrective action that fixes the issue being complained about. To say that there was no settlement is disingenuous at best, intentionally attempting to mislead the public at worst.

His statement that there is nothing in his record that gives him a black eye or hinders his role as commissioner is another intentional deception. Whether the reprimand still existed in his Kenai file is not the question here. The harassment and, as we later find out, the reprimand are part of his “record”. Just because a piece of paper was removed from a file does not remove the fact that he was determined to have committed sexual harassment and received a reprimand for that harassment. I’d say that does make him a “sex harasser”! The fact that he disagrees with that determination has little relevance. A higher authority determined that he was. Remember that pesky letter?

His admissions on 7/22/2008 make his earlier statements on this issue just plain dishonest. It also makes Governor Palin’s statements that she reviewed the investigation and determined that he was “cleared of the allegations” an impossible contradiction. You have to suspect that the review amounted to him telling her that he was cleared given his adamance that no sexual harassment happened. Has he also deceived the Governor?

Any confirmation hearings are going to be politically ugly. He may be the first appointee in recent memory and probably the first DPS commissioner to ever be rejected by the legislature. Not a great chapter in Governor Palin’s legacy.

Commissioner Kopp complains that this is putting a lot of stress on him and his family. I’m sure it is. But that, unfortunately, has little relevance to the real issues here. That is what is referred to as a red herring. But, it does present a tidy and very acceptable excuse for him doing the right thing for DPS and for the Governor. He needs to step down and at least take his piece of the controversy off the Governor’s plate.

Commissioner Kopp may be a good and capable person. But he has completely failed his first test in that position. The issue is no longer whether he sexually harassed someone; it is that he has not been honest and forthcoming about it. Remember that integrity thing? He can’t have any credibility with the employees at this point. Probably none with the legislature. The public is being deceived. Maybe he can move right back into his old job and we can all pretend that none of this ever happened. I guess that would fix the family stress problem!

July 23, 2008 - 4:53am | Norats1

You took the words right of

You took the words right of my mouth.

July 22, 2008 - 11:56pm | Sheridan_Sheraton

Nice post.

Way more thought out than post 64.

Probably this lady is not crazy like post 64 suggests, though I know for a fact situations like that, a crazy lady with a vengeful agenda can throw up a volley of lies. And you know who they beleive if it serves the state. This time the allegations are probably true but it doesn't serve the administration so the disinformation campaign begins.

But there is more to this than the denials and discounting what occurred to 'non-events,' and the state is always one ready to use that tactic, as well to call into question anything they can about someone who complains to proffer confusion about the truth.

The public is being decieved. Hopefully the legislature will save face, knowing the public no longer wants the to be decieved and reject this one.

July 23, 2008 - 12:03am | rfn

Ole Willie.....

Oh get your mind out of the gutter...not "Slick Willie"....

William Congreve.

He had it right all those centuries ago: "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned."

Many attribute that to Shakespeare.

They are so wrong...but old Willie Congreve? He was so right!

July 23, 2008 - 12:19am | JakeW

Congreve is correct, not Shakespeare.

However, the correct quote reads:

"...Nor hell a fury like a woman scorned."

July 23, 2008 - 9:34am | rfn

As appeared in

Congreve's original poem, yes.

The exactly proper form, though, is unintelligible to many products of modern public education so the "Hell hath no...." version, an adaptation, is the more commonly used. We are dealing, here, with minds who accept "It's crackers to slip a rozzer the dropsy in snide" as being from a major work of Voltaire.

A game: If you know whence came that line, post only the initials; let the others struggle a bit.

July 23, 2008 - 12:50am | Sheridan_Sheraton

How about...

"Nor hell a fury like a woman scorned,with a weasel-faced conspiring attorney, and a ladder climbing brown nose magistrate who thinks he will help her get a Murkowski appointment to a real Judge position if she does something judicial-career-wreckingly idiotic for him."

July 23, 2008 - 12:18am | Sheridan_Sheraton

It is amazing how you can

It is amazing how you can assault someone in a bar in Juneau when you are actually somewhere between Oregon and Arizona and have the ticket records.

Hopefully only in Alaska Courts could this happen.

I wonder if the Judge thinks that is what Long- Arm Jurisdiction is about. Maybe she needs a refresher course....

62 July 22, 2008 - 10:57pm | Hire_Intelligence

Polygraph

To put this sorid "He said, she said" mare's nest to bed, I propose a lie detector examination. Mr. Kopp is asked 1) Did you kiss her? 2) Have you regularly hugged other female staffers? 3)Have you deceived the public about this event?

All in. You pass or not. Put this behind you. It is for you, your family, and the good of the State that you submit to a polygraph. I believe you would ask the same of a subordinate, if this problem landed on your desk.

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Kopp: "I am not a sex harasser"