Fire Law Blog Fire Service and Public Safety Legal Issues Blog by Curt Varone
Another firefighter has been caught up in sharing anti-Black Lives Matters posts, this time a battalion chief in Omaha, Nebraska.
Battalion Chief Joe Salcedo is now on paid administrative leave over posts he shared on Facebook that criticized the Black Lives Matter movement and President Obama.
According to the Omaha World Herald, Chief Salcedo shared content stating that:
- President Obama is “a cop-hating terrorist, and so is the (Black Lives Matter) movement”
- “Once you advocate killing cops you are not protesters you are now terrorists”
- “America does not have a police problem it has a criminal entitlement problem fueled by poor leadership and a weak criminal justice system.”
The firefighters’ union, IAFF Local 385, was quick to condemn Chief Salcedo, who was serving as acting fire chief while Interim Fire Chief Dan Olsen was on vacation.
Our organization disavows the offensive material he posted on social media and immediately reported the material to the City of Omaha and Interim Fire Chief Olsen. As fire fighters, we take a sworn oath to “never act officiously or permit personal feeling, prejudices, animosities or friendships to influence my decisions.” The Fire Fighter’s Code of Ethics also reminds us to “keep my private life unsullied as an example to all; maintain courageous calm in the face of danger, scorn, or ridicule; develop self-restraint; and be constantly mindful of the welfare of others.” With this said, Mr. Salcedo has broken and offended the very code that defines us and our duty to public safety.
I am assuming Chief Salcedo was not a member of the local. Here is a copy of Local 385’s press release: Local 385
