Former Anchorage Police Chief Ken McCoy, who was with the Anchorage Police Department for 27 years, ended his service on Monday to take a position with Providence Alaska Medical Center as the Chief Equity Officer.
Hours after he legally retired, he appeared in an ad supporting former Gov. Bill Walker and Heidi Dryas, who are running as a duo for governor and lieutenant governor.
He was wearing his APD uniform in the ad.
It’s unclear if Anchorage’s Code of Ethics anticipated former police officer using a uniform he is no longer entitled to wear in a campaign ad.
But Walker and Drygas saw no problem with the ad, and gushed about it on social media:
The Anchorage Code of Ethics Summary states that use of municipal property for partisan purposes is not allowed by public officials. Read the Ethics Code Official Summary here.
“Appearance of impropriety:Â Where provisions of this chapter differ from the common law principle that an appearance of impropriety alone is sufficient to establish a conflict of interest or an ethical violation, the provisions of this chapter supersede the common law,” the code says.
The code says municipal resources may not be used for campaign purpose and that this applies to employees, board members, elected officials, and public servants.
There may be no consequence for McCoy, who has become a political animal since leaving his post as Anchorage’s top police officer.
While chief, McCoy attended in uniform a “get out the vote” event for Anchorage mayor that was tailored for failed candidate Forrest Dunbar.
McCoy announced his retirement in November, with his final date originally announced as Feb. 1, but evidently moved to Jan. 31. Many are speculating he intends to run for mayor in the future.
