Friday, March 06, 2009

Cpl Michael Kazouris Resigns After Allegations of Sexual Misconduct

A police officer who initially faced allegations that he had sex with a 17-year-old Tarpon Springs High School student he worked with has resigned today.

Tarpon Springs Police Department Cpl. Michael Kazouris was cleared last month of any criminal wrongdoing. On Monday, the department's interim chief will evaluate the status of an internal investigation, police say.

In a letter today to the department's acting chief, Kazouris wrote that he always has prided himself on his commitment to the community but that he needed to resign due to the "frivolous allegations and one-sided investigation against me."

Interim Police Chief Robert Kochen accepted the resignation this evening.

Kazouris, who has spent more than 11 years as a school resource officer in Pinellas County schools and had had an unblemished record, was put on administrative leave Nov.12 after the allegation involving the teenager came to light.

"Corporal Kazouris continues to vehemently deny all allegations alleged and further maintains that he has never violated any policies or procedures of the Tarpon Springs Police Department," a letter to the acting chief from Kazouris attorney Jerry Theophilopoulos states.

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http://www.tampabay.com/news/publicsafety/article981925.ece

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