Nashville District Chief is the Latest Cybercasualty

Posted by: Curt Varone July 21, 2016 1 Comment

A Nashville district chief is under investigation over Facebook posts he made that the department leadership characterized as “racial, stereotypical, and threatening toward members of the public.”

District Chief Tim Lankford has been assigned to administrative duties while the matter is investigated. A collection of Chief Lankford’s posts were published on a local blog, EastNashville.News. The department investigation is focused on whether the posts violated the department’s social media policy as well as constituted conduct unbecoming.

About Curt Varone

Curt Varone has over 45 years of fire service experience and 35 as a practicing attorney licensed in both Rhode Island and Maine. His background includes 29 years as a career firefighter in Providence (retiring as a Deputy Assistant Chief), as well as volunteer and paid on call experience. He is the author of two books: Legal Considerations for Fire and Emergency Services, (2006, 2nd ed. 2011, 3rd ed. 2014, 4th ed. 2022) and Fire Officer's Legal Handbook (2007), and is a contributing editor for Firehouse Magazine writing the Fire Law column.
© Copyright 2017, All Rights Reserved. | FireLawBlog.com & Curt Varone | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use
x

Check Also

Memphis Firefighter’s Termination for Facebook Post Sent Back to Civil Service

A Memphis firefighter who was terminated for an inappropriate social media post in 2017, will have a chance to have his case reviewed again by the Memphis Civil Service Commission, following a ruling by the Tennessee Court of Appeals. Taurick Boyd, a 19-year veteran of the Memphis Fire Department, claimed he was punished more harshly than similarly situated personnel.

Firing of Flint Fire Chief Could Be a First Amendment Violation

The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that a mayor who retaliates against a fire chief for refusing to make false statements to the public about a matter of public concern, is not entitled to qualified immunity. As a result, a mayor could be liable to the chief for violating his First Amendment rights.