Text Messaging and Public Records Laws

Today’s burning question: Our union attended a city council meeting, and during the course of the meeting we observed one of the councilmen texting. Are his texts subject to the public record laws? I mean, wouldn’t it be awesome if ...

On Duty Firefighters Asked to Serve Cocktails Shirtless

Here is today’s burning question: I am a career firefighter and I was recently asked by my fire chief to serve drinks to a group of women at a fund-raising event while on-duty. I know I am a hunk and ...

Non-Identification Policies

Today’s burning question: My fire department’s policy prohibits me from identifying myself publically as a member of the department. When I lecture I cannot indicate my department, nor can I mention it during my presentation. I was wondering if I ...

Open Records Chaos in Connecticut

Public officials in Connecticut are in an uproar over a recent state supreme court decision that requires the addresses of police officers, corrections officers and firefighters to be redacted from publically accessible motor vehicle tax lists. The decision has implications ...

Georgia Fire Captain Sues to Overturn $4 Million Police-Fire Pension Loan

Funding for the Macon Fire and Police Retirement System has been a hotly debated subject in the Georgia county for many months. Pension Board members had asked the city to put in enough funds to make up for 18 months ...

Another Cheating Scandal Allegation: San Francisco FD

A cheating scandal with racial overtones has been alleged in the San Francisco Fire Department. Battalion Chief Kevin Taylor has alleged that senior officials provided assistance to white officers on a promotional examination for assistant chief. However, the incident that gave rise ...

Ethics Charges Settled With EMS Chief

The former chief of EMS for FDNY has been slapped with a hefty fine by the city’s Conflicts of Interest Board. Chief John Peruggia, who was demoted in early January following numerous complaints over the city’s response to the December ...

Fire District Charged with Open Meetings Law Violation

Rhode Island's attorney general has filed suit against a fire district for violation of the state's open meeting law. According to Attorney General Patrick Lynch, the Albion Fire District has been warned on two prior occasions about violating the law. ...