Fire Law Blog Fire Service and Public Safety Legal Issues Blog by Curt Varone
It started with the fire chief of a major city being abruptly placed on administrative leave. Then came the allegations that he allegedly dropped his pants in front of a female security guard in a public building. Now comes the security video of Atlantic City Fire Chief Dennis Brooks dropping trow in a public building.
CBS Channel 3 in Philadelphia obtained the video from the city through a public records request. The incident occurred March 5, 2015 at the Atlantic City Public Safety Building.
The security guard has since obtained an attorney and is claiming the chief’s conduct was sexual harassment. Sebastian Ionno said his client, who has yet to be named, asked Chief Brooks to “take the metal out of his pockets. He undid his pants, pulled them down and told her that he was having a bad day.”
Ionno was quoted by Channel 3 as saying: “It was clear to me that this was not accidental, it’s not as if the chief removed his belt and his pants fell down. It’s clear that is was premeditated that he grabbed the sides of his pants and pulled them down.”
