Foxworth Placed on Administrative Leave

Portland Police Chief and department veteran Derrick Foxworth is now on administrative leave Photo By: Tim King

(PORTLAND AP) - Police Chief Derrick Foxworth was placed on paid administrative leave by Mayor Tom Potter Tuesday because of allegations of sexual impropriety with a police desk clerk.

Potter has been under pressure to take action since e-mails detailing the affair were made public.

"This is the most difficult thing I've done to this point," Potter said at a news conference.

Potter said he was placing Foxworth on leave because "the intense interest in this investigation is distracting the bureau from its primary mission, and may erode the confidence and trust I believe that are essential to that mission."

Potter named Rosie Sizer, southeast precinct commander, as interim police chief.

Foxworth has acknowledged that he had had a "brief, but intense" relationship with his accuser, Angela Oswalt, 46, before he became chief of police in 2003. Graphic e-mails he is alleged to have sent to Oswalt are the centerpiece of her tort claim, notifying the city of her intent to sue.

But Foxworth denies Oswalt's claims that he had used public resources - including police-issued e-mail addresses, telephones and pagers - to communicate with her.

Potter said that when he told Foxworth of his decision to put him on leave, the chief "said he understood. We shook hands."

The mayor asked the community to "reserve judgment" on the accusations against Foxworth "until the facts are in."