Fire Law Blog Fire Service and Public Safety Legal Issues Blog by Curt Varone

Tag Archives: Joshua Ruffin

South Carolina Fire Captain Claims Anti-Police Social Media Post Was Protected Speech

A Columbia fire captain who was terminated after posting comments online that were critical of law enforcement following a shooting death of one of his relatives, is filing suit to get his job back. Captain Ameer Bagley was fired on April 10, 2020, just 3 days after the death of 17-year-old Joshua Ruffin.

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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