Surfside Beach police chief recently resigned. Now he’s suing town, councilman, employee
The former Surfside Beach police chief, who recently resigned amid a contentious investigation, is now suing the town.
Kenneth Hofmann’s seven-year stint as the chief ended May 3. He submitted his resignation letter in April after the town council voted to investigate a perceived retention issue within the police department.
“Unfortunately, the malicious acts of a few have created rumors that are being used to attack me and my administration of the police department,” Hofmann wrote in the letter. “The mishandling of these acts and rumors at their onset and continuing today, by certain members of the town council and certain town officials, has resulted in the publishing of untrue and damaging misinformation about me.”
In addition to the Town of Surfside Beach, the lawsuit lists Councilman Harry Kohlmann and Town Clerk Sheri Medina individually as defendants.
Kohlmann declined to comment on the case, and Medina didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. Neither did a town spokeswoman.
Kohlmann, a former New York City Police inspector who was elected last November, told residents during his campaign that the police chief needed to go, Hofmann alleges in the complaint.
Prior to town council voting to investigate retention concerns, Kohlmann was reviewing police personnel records, with the help of Medina, and contacting former employees in violation of privacy laws and established employment procedures, the lawsuit states.
Attorney Lisa Poe Davis, who is representing Hofmann, told The Sun News that Kohlmann was allowed to freely review employment records without sensitive information, including social security numbers, redacted.
Kohlmann told residents during a March council meeting that he was reviewing these public records to investigate why employees were leaving, and town officials were initially helpful, but he was later stopped and told he’d have to pay $400 to continue.
Kohlmann alleged he was stopped after the head of the department he was investigating threatened to sue if he continued, though Town Administrator Gerald Vincent previously denied that decision had anything to do with a potential lawsuit.
Kohlmann had discussions with other council members outside of executive session where he accused Hofmann of either allowing corruption within the police department and/or participating in corrupt activities, the lawsuit states.
Hofmann blames Medina in the lawsuit for publishing the March 26 town council agenda that listed discussion of the police chief’s employment under executive session.
“Such publication of explicit information on the Agenda for an executive session is highly unusual, improper and likely unlawful,” the complaint states, adding that Hofmann believes that Medina published this information without approval of the town administrator.
The lawsuit alleges defamation, negligence, intentional infliction of emotional distress and civil conspiracy.
Davis told The Sun News that Hofmann currently has another job, declining to say what type of job, though it’s not in law enforcement, and he’s making less money than he was as police chief.
