Shreveport Fire Chief Settles Wrongful Termination Appeal

A painful chapter in the Shreveport Fire Department has finally come to a close with the announcement of a settlement in the wrongful termination appeal of former Fire Chief Craig Mulford.

You may recalled in 2014, five Shreveport firefighters were charged criminally with abusing mentally challenged men who frequented their firehouse. The charges arouse out of a series of pranks played by firefighters over the years on the men, culminating in the hiring of a prostitute for them.

Chief Mulford and Assistant Chief Tommy Carpenter were later charged with impeding a police investigation into the case for reportedly trying to keep the matter as an internal affairs investigation. However, a whistleblower suit filed by a police officer who was removed from the investigation raised a number of troubling questions. The charges against Chiefs Mulford and Carpenter were subsequently dismissed, but not before both were fired from the Shreveport Fire Department.

Chief Mulford appealed his termination to the Shreveport Police and Fire Civil Service Board, who this week ruled in his favor ordering his reinstatement and full back pay. The city opted to reach a settlement with Chief Mulford where by he will be reinstated, receive his full back pay, and then resign so as not to cause a conflict with the current fire department administration. Chief Carpenter had already been reinstated by the Civil Service Board with back pay.

Here is more on the settlement.