Mississippi Department Threatens Discipline Unless Firefighters Who Spoke To Media Produce Documentation

From The Associated Press, August 14

JACKSON, MS – The Jackson Fire Department’s top brass is telling firefighters who complained about the department to the news media that they had better support their allegations or face disciplinary action.

"You are hereby advised that you have seventy-two (72) hours from receipt of this letter to produce documentation, as ordered," Assistant Fire Chief Tony Davis wrote in a letter obtained by The Clarion-Ledger. "Failure to substantiate your allegations will be just cause for disciplinary actions."

The letter was sent out last week.

A confirmation hearing for interim Chief Todd Chandler was scrapped last month following complaints by several firefighters to the news media about his handling of the department. Budget cuts enforced by Chandler had led to shortages of manpower and supplies, the firefighters said.

Jackson Firefighters Association President Brandon Falcon said the letter is a clear effort to silence dissent, punish critics of the interim chief and destroy the union.

"This is a classic union-busting technique," he said. "It’s an attempt to intimidate us."

City Council President Ben Allen said he was aware of the letter and planned to address the matter today with other council members.

"Several council members have been well aware of the discontent going on in the Fire Department," he said.

Chandler did not return phone calls seeking comment. Davis said the letter was authorized by the chief and represents an ongoing investigation into any firefighter who recently spoke to the news media. "Everybody who made statements, I’m looking for everybody," he said.

Davis said the letter was not an attack on firefighters’ First Amendment rights to free speech, but that the department was within its rights to require employees to prove allegations of wrongdoing.

"Let’s start telling the truth and start coming up with solutions," he said.

Mayor Frank Melton said he was not aware of the letter and did not support disciplining firefighters for talking to the news media.

If there are problems within the Fire Department, Melton said firefighters "have not only a right, but an obligation" to talk to the media.

Melton said he believed a small number of "disruptive" firefighters were behind repeated attempts to stall Chandler’s confirmation.

Melton pulled the nomination last month when he realized he did not have enough votes on the City Council to confirm Chandler.

Lt. Vernon Gee, a firefighter who received a letter, said he stood behind his statements that firefighters were reporting to fires shorthanded.

"This is my unit, and I see this every shift," he said. "I don’t need no documentation for what I see."