PPB captain files complaint in flap over text messages
PORTLAND, Ore. - One of Portland’s highest-ranking police bureau administrators has resigned following a series of text messages he exchanged with another officer.
An attorney for a fellow high-ranking officer filed legal paperwork with the Portland Police Bureau, claiming the bureau's then-Director of Services Mike Kuykendall engaged in unprofessional behavior when he and a police lieutenant were exchanging text messages. The lawyer claims the messages were disparaging toward Captain Mark Kruger.
In a tort claim filed by Kruger's attorney, the series of text messages were outlined. The messages went back and forth on the personal cell phones of Kuykendall and a police lieutenant, Kristy Galvan.
In those messages, the two talk about Kruger being akin to a Nazi sympathizer, according to the tort claim filing.
Kruger's attorney quoted from five text messages exchanged between Kuykendall and Galvan in June of 2012.
In one message, Kuykendall writes to Galvan that he planned to move her or Kruger, and that, "Kruger has not liked a book since he read Mein Kamph (sic)” referring to a book written by Adolf Hitler.
Also outlined in the court documents, Galvan said she "talked to Donna. She heard about my concentration camp situation."
During the course of another message exchange, Galvin texted to Kuykendall “I wish he’d ship out. I’ll research if Auschwitz is in need of a police captain," according to the filing.
Chief Mike Reese accepted Kuykendall's resignation last week and has not publicly commented on the messages.
In 2010, Kruger was suspended for two weeks without pay by then-Mayor Sam Adams for putting up a plaque at Rocky Butte that honored German soldiers in World War II.
The plaque, which was put up 13 years ago, was removed and Kruger apologized. He denied at the time that he had any sympathy for the followers of Adolf Hitler.
The resignation of Kuykendall has led to a leadership shake-up inside the bureau.
In a press release issued Monday the chief announced that Asst. Chief Eric Hendricks will take over for Kruger leading the Services Branch. Hendricks formerly led the Investigations Branch.
Commander Donna Henderson was promoted to assistant chief and will take over the Investigations Branch.
KATU News has not confirmed if the “Donna” referred to in the text messages is Cmdr. Donna Henderson.
Kruger had been with the department since 1994.
@MD20-20 I thought the core issue was he is filing suit due to messages she sent back and forth with his boss. I get everyone is latching on to the Nazi side of this but I find everyone suing everyone brings a whole new level of stupid to the game. Next Kuykendal will file a lawsuit as well.
Pleae excuse my crude spellings and grammer; I am really more educated than that. In theory.
I hate to be this crude and unimaginave, but I cannot resit:Â his Kruger a nazi? I dunno, but look at his phoo, for pity sakes'..
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Sure has some pointy ears, doesn't he; you may be right.
There is a culture problem at the PPB and Reese is simply adding to it with his lack of leadership. Memo to Reese: When you repeatedly support the bad actors your credibility and that of your bureau declines exponentially with each occurrence.
I've read different articles on a few different websites, so I just want to make sure I have the correct information. He's suing, now she is suing and currently off collecting a paycheck while sitting at home. She was a subordinate talking smack about her boss and got caught. His boss was talking trash about him as well while sending some creepy messages in return (DOS daddy?) Sounds like she's due for a demotion if she ever returns to work (interesting she was injured when all this was going down). Only in a governmental bureaucracy can this happen. If I got caught talking about my boss (whether deserved or not) my rump would be standing in the unemployment line while I looked for a new job. The City that Works?
@keepitcivil Why all this concentration, and diversion, to this "SHE"? What has this to do with the core issues here?
It's like an 8th grade gossip fest down there at the Portland Police Bureau.
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Portland needs to hire some adults to be police officers.
 @RalphCramdenÂ
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If it were a nut house it would be the crazies running the show but it is a Police Department so it must be...and there is too much evidence to dispute the truth....a criminal element running the show.
So a cop makes derogatory and mocking comments about the verified and admitted deviant and anti-social behavior of a cop who idolizes the Nazi party and admits to building a shrine memorializing ranking Nazi party members and the cop that complains is forced to resign?
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Seriously, Kruger has cost this city too much and he should have been fired years ago as he would have been but for the support of the Portland Police Union.Â
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It is obvious that the Union only supports the worst of cops; Portland's own RAMPART is run by the Police Union.
Remember this, if you are a public employee, even in your personal life, you no longer have any right to free speech.
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At least that is what this article appears to say...
I don't quite blame anyone for having an issue with working with someone who sympathizes with Nazi's - especially in Law Enforcement, I believe that automatically negates their ability to remain neutral and non-discriminatory. Having said that, this sounds like Kruger doesn't want to be associated with as being a sympathizer to Hitler's cause...yet his actions are speaking louder than his words. I would need to know more details about the type of conversation that was being text to be able to comment on whether it was OK or not. Clearly, no matter which way one looks at this, it does seem obvious that we all need to be way more cautious about our electronic communications. Â
If he dresses up as a Nazi, and honors Nazi's what's his gripe if someone calls him a Nazi? Â He has no reason to complain about these comments.
So now we're supposed to tolerate Nazi wannabees?
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That goes about 100 steps too far in anti-discrimination.
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Reinstate him and REWARD him for not wanting to put up with someone evil!
 @starshadowÂ
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No we're not supposed to support them but promote them. And, fire anyone that doesn't tolerate them in total silence....like the good Jews of Germany and Poland did.
At the end of the day, or conversation, as it were, Kruger is a nazi sympathizer, and thus set himself up for the very types of conversations as has happened. His manager is discussing a management problem (read what was said) with other management, so what is the big deal here? They are trying to deal witgh a problematic employee that no one wants in their department, sounds like to me.. Kruger made his bed with his extreme politics. OR should we pat nazi sympathizers on the back and accept them as mainstream?
This is a lot different than first presented. If these messages were on their personal cell phones, I would call this protected speech and Kuykendall should not have resigned (other than it was inappropriate to disparage a higher ranking officer to a subordinate).Â
I thought PPB was supposed to be a law enforcement agency. This outfit is beginning to look more and more like a Jerry Springer Show episode!
I say fire them all and lets start over with folks that can act like adults instead of children. And these are suppose to be the professionals. Â
Care full what you say for you never know from day to day witch ones you may have to eat.
@lee986321 True.