St. Paul Police Chief Axel Henry has filed a lawsuit accusing Mayor Kaohly Her of sexually harassing him and then retaliating against him after he reported her conduct internally. The 73-page complaint lays out a pattern of explicit comments, unwanted physical contact and workplace retaliation stretching over months.
Henry has led the department since 2022. According to the lawsuit, Her referred to herself as a “MILF” and made sexually suggestive remarks about his genitalia. The suit also alleges she placed her hand on his upper thigh under a conference table during a budget meeting.
The complaint says Her told Henry her marriage was in trouble and that the two “needed to be friends” or “this was not going to work,” insisting they needed a “close relationship.”
Henry alleges Her repeatedly showed up at the police department gym when she knew he would be there, called him and other staff “beefy,” and “simulated an orgasm” while exercising near them.
At an awards ceremony, Henry was wearing a Mobile Field Force ribbon marked “MFF.” The lawsuit says Her asked what the letters meant, then replied, “Oh, I thought it said MILF so maybe I could get one.”
A separate incident from December is also detailed in the filing. Henry met with Her and St. Paul Port Authority President Todd Hurley at a cigar lounge to discuss relocating the downtown police station. The suit alleges Her threatened to tell people Henry “grabbed her a–” if she didn’t get her way.
In February, Henry and a colleague were using personal vacation time at a golf simulator in Woodbury when Her showed up unannounced. She allegedly told them she “had to come like this because you guys wouldn’t invite me,” and stayed roughly 20 minutes.
After Henry filed an internal complaint about her conduct, the lawsuit says Her and her administration “embarked on a campaign to retaliate against and discredit Chief Henry.” He claims he was cut out of decisions, denied requested records, and that officials released a “sanitized” two-page summary of an independent investigation to soften the findings against her.
Her’s office disputes the allegations. “An independent investigation did not substantiate claims of sexual harassment or retaliation against any city employee,” the office said, according to Fox 9 Minneapolis. “The Mayor will continue to lead Saint Paul and follow the recommendations of the report. Beyond that, the City of Saint Paul doesn’t comment on active litigation.”
Earlier this month, Her transferred her personal security detail and driver services away from the St. Paul Police Department to the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office.
