I currently am the Chief of Police for the City of Kenai, Alaska. I am a lifelong Alaskan, born in Anchorage, and raised in the Lake Iliamna and Kenai Peninsula regions. I have over 16 years of experience in municipal public safety.
I hold a Bachelors degree in Criminal Justice and an Advanced Police Officer certificate through the Alaska Police Standards Council. I am a graduate of both the FBI National Academy (Session #184, 1996) and the Southern Police Institute’s Management of the Small Law Enforcement Agency Course. I was named the 2001 Alaska Peace Officers Association Statewide Member of the Year. I am working towards a Masters degree in Public Administration through the University of Alaska.
During my 14 years with the Kenai Police Department I have become very familiar with the operations, policies and budgets of both local and state public safety entities. I have served at a supervisory level for 10 years and have extensive experience in the administration and management of public safety, the legislative process, police training, polygraph examination, community partnerships, intergovernmental agency relationships, personnel administration, grant writing, and media relations.
I am a member of the Alaska Association of Chiefs of Police, the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the American Association of Police Polygraphists, the American Society of Law Enforcement Trainers, and other professional associations I have listed below.
I am committed to the virtue of civic duty and am an active member of 10 non-profit agencies located in my community, and throughout Alaska. I believe volunteer work within Alaska has greatly enhanced my understanding of how I, as a public safety professional, can contribute to a better quality of life for all our citizens.
Charles M. Kopp
BACKGROUND
I was born in Anchorage, and am a lifelong Alaskan. In 1966 my family moved to the village of New Halen on Lake Iliamna where my parents were the only teachers in the small schoolhouse. In 1972 we moved to the Kenai area where I finished my grade school education.
From the fall of 1983 to 1989 I lived in Anchorage where I completed my undergraduate degree in Justice at the University of Alaska, and met my wife of 15 years, Patricia Susan Kopp (Molitor). We have three children.
Alaska, its people, values and traditions have all served to shape and forge my character. I believe there is nothing more important I can do with my life than to invest it in other people. I have found that Public Safety service has allowed me this privilege.
1983 Diploma (high school) - Cook Inlet Academy, Soldotna
1987 Bachelor of Arts, Justice - University of Alaska, Anchorage
1989 Department of Public Safety, Alaska Law Enforcement Training Session #6
Class valedictorian. 1st of 26.
Class Leader – appointed by DPS staff to lead classmates in training assignments and physical fitness activities.
Honor Graduate – voted by classmates as the person who most represented the ideals of the law enforcement code of ethics and of the police profession.
Driving Proficiency – top emergency vehicle driver in the class.
Physical Fitness – award given to the individual who is the most fit in the class as determined by a 1 ˝ mile run, and # of situps, pushups and chinups.
1993 Supervision of Police Personnel - Northwestern University, Independent Study
1993 Polygraph Examiner School - National Training Center of Polygraph Science, Columbus, Ohio
Class valedictorian. 1st of 22.
Letter of commendation from Richard A. Arther, director of the National Training Center.
1995 Advanced Police Officer Certificate - Alaska Police Standards Council
1995 Management Issues in Law Enforcement - AML/JIA, Anchorage
1996 FBI National Academy, Session 184 – Federal Bureau of Investigation
9 graduate credits, Police Administration - University of Virginia
6 undergraduate credits, Police Science - University of Virginia
1999 Introduction to Public Administration - University of Alaska, Southeast
3 graduate credits, Master of Public Administration course
2002 Management of the Small Law Enforcement Agency Course - The Southern Police Institute
EMPLOYMENT
1986-1989 Reserve Patrol Officer, Anchorage Police Department
1989-1993 Patrol Officer, Kenai Police Department
1993-1996 Patrol Sergeant, Kenai Police Department
1996-2001 Investigations Sergeant, Kenai Police Department
1996-2001 Acting Lieutenant as assigned by Chief Morris
01/12/02 - Lieutenant, Kenai Police Department
05/31/02
06/01/02 Chief of Police, Kenai Police Department
International Association of Chiefs of Police
Academy of Certified Polygraphists
American Association of Police Polygraphists
American Society of Law Enforcement Trainers
Alaska Peace Officers Association
National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center-Northwest Regional Advisory Council
COMMUNITY SERVICE
Special Olympics Alaska, Law Enforcement Torch Run - 5/91 - present
Kenai Peninsula Community Care Center, Board Member - 6/95 - 4/02
Alaska Peace Officers Association, Kenai Peninsula Chapter - 4/96 - present
Alaska Peace Officers Association, State Board VP - 5/00 - 5/02
APOA Legislative Advisory Committee Chair - 5/00 - 5/02
Cook Inlet Academy (K-12), Vice President - 4/99 - present
Tanalian Bible Camp, President - 2/00 – present
Central Peninsula Crime Stoppers, Law Enforcement Coordinator - 5/01 – 3/02
Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault Task Force - 1/02 - present
Kenai Peninsula Youth Detention Center Advisory Board - 1/02 – present
Lee Shore Women’s Resource and Crisis Center, Board Member - 9/02 - present