The police chief of St. Paul, Minnesota, has filed a formal sexual harassment complaint against Mayor Kaohly Her, alleging inappropriate conduct toward him and other members of the police force during her initial months in office. Chief Axel Henry, who has led the St. Paul Police Department since November 2022, reportedly informed senior city officials of the incidents in March, according to city records.
An independent investigation is underway, led by employment law specialist Cally Kjellberg-Nelson of the law firm Resolute Law. The city engaged the outside law firm to examine the allegations, but no timeline for the review’s completion has been disclosed. Mayor Her, who assumed office January 2 as the first female and first Asian mayor of St. Paul, declined to comment on the matter.
Matt Wagenius, a spokesman for Mayor Her, acknowledged the ongoing investigation but refrained from providing further details, stating that the mayor “has deep respect for city employees and regrets any unintended impact her actions may have had.” Chief Henry also declined interview requests, while his attorney, Chris Madel, affirmed the chief’s commitment to uphold proper conduct within the police department.
According to a letter from Madel to Irene Kao, the city attorney, dated April 1, Chief Henry planned to file his complaint after learning that the mayor’s alleged conduct involved sexual harassment of subordinate city employees, including members of the police department, and extended beyond isolated incidents. Supporting the claim, the letter included a screenshot of a text message attributed to the mayor, which contained an image and a suggestive comment sent to a city employee.
The allegations emerge at a time when St. Paul is grappling with several significant challenges, including a projected $26 million budget deficit and contentious debates over clearing a large homeless encampment. The city has also been under federal scrutiny due to its status as a focal point in recent immigration enforcement efforts. How the investigation may be impacting day-to-day operations at City Hall remains unclear.
Chief Henry, a lifelong St. Paul resident who joined the police force in 1998, has overseen a reduction in violent crime during his tenure, attributing progress partly to a focused effort on nonfatal shootings. However, his department has faced criticism, particularly following police responses involving chemical irritants and crowd control measures used during protests over immigration enforcement last year.
Mayor Her, whose family fled Laos as Hmong refugees before settling in the United States, previously served as a Minnesota state representative from 2019 to 2025 and held the role of policy director for the city during her predecessor Melvin Carter’s term as mayor. Her successful campaign for mayor marked a political upset, unseating her former ally and emphasizing her agenda to foster economic growth, reduce housing costs, and protect undocumented residents amid federal immigration crackdowns.