Kentucky Officer’s Comments About Female Subordinate Lead to Suspension

Posted by: Curt Varone 11 days ago 0

A Lexington, Kentucky fire lieutenant has been suspended for 120 hours for making a series of comments about one of his female subordinates. Lt. Terrance Gatewood is accused of having made the comments about her appearance between February and March of 2023.

According to the Lexington Herald Leader, the comments were:

  • “The seams of those pants are putting in work.”
  • “Yea. You’re getting thick.”
  • “[Y]our thighs are looking proportionate now.”

The city’s human resource department conducted the investigation, and substantiated two of the three comments. According to the Lexington Herald Leader, Lt. Gatewood told investigators that the female firefighter made the comment about that fact that she was getting thick, and that he did not recall making a comment about the seams of her pants.

The imposition of the suspension was approved by the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council following a disciplinary hearing last month. Lt. Gatewood will also be required to attend additional training.

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.
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