KALAMAZOO, Mich. — Chief Vernon Coakley with the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety (KDPS) is currently on paid administrative leave due to harassment allegations, according to City Manager James Ritsema.
We’re told an independent investigator was hired to look into accusations filed by city employees.
Ritsema tells us Deputy Chief David Boysen is serving as acting chief in the meantime.
“There is no estimate at this time regarding the length of time that the investigation will take,” says Ritsema. “The findings of the investigation will be presented to the city manager and any further action will be determined by the facts.”
No other information is available while investigations proceed.
The city says it takes all harassment complaints seriously and encourages its employees to come forward with any information they believe is relevant to the investigation.
The city of Kalamazoo held a news conference shortly after the news broke Tuesday afternoon.
FOX 17 did speak with Chief Coakley, who did not want to comment on the allegations.
Watch the news conference here:
City Communications Manager Michael Smith later released the following statement:
"Personnel complaints are handled by the City of Kalamazoo’s Human Resources department and each situation is different. The review depends on the nature of the complaint and how many staff need to be interviewed. After factual findings are determined, the appropriate course of action, if any, is taken with the parties involved. An outside investigator may be brought in for a variety of reasons, including the current workload for Human Resources staff or the nature of the complaint. An outside investigator may also be used due to the sensitivity of the topic, or the position of the parties involved.
"In this particular matter, the City Administration has brought in an outside independent investigator so that city staff would not be put in a position of investigating claims against the Public Safety Chief. The firm will thoroughly investigate all claims and will take the investigation in any direction where the facts may lead it."
