Tim Ryan, tryan@wolfrivermedia.com
A response filed by the city in a sex discrimination suit against Police Chief Mark Kohl suggests Kohl might not have the world’s most politically correct sense of humor, but denies there was anything illegal or discriminatory in his comments or his actions.
A Shawano Police Department employee filed a civil suit in federal court in June against the city of Shawano over alleged sexual discrimination by Kohl and the city’s alleged inaction in responding to the issue.
It was the second suit alleging sexual discrimination involving Kohl filed in as many months.
Laura Chartraw alleged Kohl began sexually discriminating against her in February 2015, and when she complained to him and to city officials, Kohl retaliated by creating a hostile work environment.
The city denies a hostile work environment was created.
Chartraw’s suit also alleges Kohl commented on Chartraw’s appearance, telling her she wore “hooker boots” and remarked about her lack of makeup and her hair style.
The city’s response admits that the chief, “in an attempt at humor,” said his family called boots like the ones Chartraw was wearing “hooker boots,” but denied that the comment was “unlawful or otherwise harassing.”
The response also admits that Kohl “commented plaintiff was not wearing make-up and her hair was undone on one occasion in which the chief was concerned the plaintiff may be ill.”
The city denied that the comment was unlawful or harassing.
According to Chartraw’s suit, when Chartraw complained to Kohl about the comments, he told her that is the way he talks to his wife and called Chartraw his “work wife.”
The city denied that the alleged comments “demonstrate unlawful or otherwise harassing conduct by Chief Kohl.”
The city also denied that “Chief Kohl continued to make rude comments to women,” saying Chartraw had not provided any proof of that.
On a number of Chartraw’s allegations, the city’s response claims only to “lack knowledge or information sufficient to form a belief as to the truth of the matters.”
That includes Chartraw’s contention that she talked to then-Mayor Lorna Marquardt about Kohl’s harassment, but Marquardt took no action.
Chartraw had previously filed a complaint with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
The EEOC issued a ruling in March, saying the commission was unable to conclude the city or Kohl violated the law, according to the city’s response.
The city also argued it launched its own investigation of the EEOC complaint in February.
“The city’s investigation, performed by objective, outside counsel, ultimately concluded there was no wrongdoing by Chief Kohl and characterized many of plaintiff’s complaints as communication issues,” the city said in its response.
Chartaw also alleged Kohl several times made comments to her about police officer NiCole Hoffmann, mentioning Hoffmann’s chest size, weight and eating habits. Chartraw told Kohl that his comments made her uncomfortable, but Kohl continued to make similar comments, she said.
Hoffmann filed suit against Kohl in May alleging sex discrimination for bypassing her and hiring a lower-ranked male applicant for a police officer vacancy in July 2014. The city is not named as a defendant in that case.
Kohl subsequently hired Hoffmann in January 2015, but her suit seeks damages for loss of past and future income.