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February 27, 2008

Whitley: ‘I didn’t know’ about lawsuit

By Patrick McCreless

Mayor Katie Whitley has no plans to remove Hugh “Tank” Kirkpatrick from his position as Hanceville deputy public safety director after his recent out-of-court settlement on sexual harassment charges in Sumiton.

“We can’t make any changes when he hasn’t done anything wrong here,” Whitley said. “He’s done an outstanding job over here.”

Kirkpatrick settled out of court with a former Sumiton dispatcher Tuesday on sexual harassment charges that stemmed from his time as chief of the Sumiton Police Department. The lawsuit Brandy Allred filed in 2006 alleges Kirkpatrick made sexually explicit remarks, inappropriately touched her and other dispatchers and created a sexually hostile work environment during her time at the police department from April 1, 1999 to April 5, 2005.

The Hanceville council hired Kirkpatrick as interim police chief of the Hanceville Police Department last year after former Police Chief Philip Bray resigned. The council promoted Kirkpatrick to the position of deputy public safety director earlier this year.

Whitley said she was unaware that Kirkpatrick had a pending sexual harassment lawsuit at the time he was hired.

“I didn’t know a thing about it,” Whitley said. “The (Sumiton) mayor over there gave him a good recommendation. Everybody gave him a good recommendation.”

Council member Jo Ann Walls was the only member to vote against hiring Kirkpatrick.

“He doesn’t need to work here,” Walls said.

Walls said a source in Birmingham informed her of the pending sexual harassment suit against Kirkpatrick before he was hired. However, she said she did not speak about the suit to other council members at the time because she was unable to obtain any documentation or records on the subject.

Council member Hubert Jones said he heard about the lawsuit before Kirkpatrick was hired as well.

“I had heard rumors of pending stuff, but I didn’t have any written proof,” Jones said.

Jones agreed with Whitley that Kirkpatrick should continue as deputy public safety director.

“You can’t correct something from another city,” Jones said. “He’s doing an excellent job.”

Council member Wayne Armstrong said he did not know anything about the suit when he voted to hire Kirkpatrick. He also wants Kirkpatrick to stay with the city.

“I know people think he ought to be fired, but I’m for keeping him,” Armstrong said. “We have no reason to get rid of him. He’s done a good job and, as far as I’m concerned, it (the lawsuit) happened in the past and I don’t have any problem with it.”

Hanceville citizen Betty Dover does have a problem with it.

“When I first read about it I was shocked,” Dover said. “Then I was disappointed because we have another incident with one of our high-level people.”

Council members Selma Barnett and Larry Cornett could not be reached by deadline. Phone messages left for Kirkpatrick were not returned.

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