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A town fire captain has been demoted to lieutenant for a series of problems that officials said included his failure to investigate possible marijuana use at the fire station. No marijuana was found, but the captain waited six weeks before reporting that he had smelled marijuana, Town Administrator Richard Czopp said Tuesday.
According to documents Fire Chief Alex Felde filed with the town Police and Fire Commission: Then-Capt. Tim Meyer told Felde about the possible marijuana use July 13 when Felde questioned Meyer about problems with the captain's record keeping and use of equipment. Meyer said other firefighters were "out to get him, and that the chief was unaware of all the things they were doing."
Asked by Felde to elaborate, Meyer said that on Memorial Day he smelled marijuana in the station's bay.
Meyer said he didn't investigate it or report it to police "because he was concerned with the potential for retaliation or 'ribbing' from his subordinates," according to the commission's written findings.
In an interview Tuesday, Meyer said he believes he was mistaken and that there was no marijuana in the fire house.
"It was just an odor, and there was no proof," said Meyer, who noted that he found none of the illegal drug in the station.
"We have a lot of fine people in the department, and if it turned out not to be the case, it could be very damaging to those individuals," Meyer said of the marijuana odor.
Meyer, who has worked for the town's Fire Department since 1989 and served as captain since 1996, said he was disappointed but will not appeal the matter further.
"I'm proud of my record over the last 16 years," he said. "The department has come a long way. While I'm disappointed, I accept the decision of the commission, and I'd like to move on."
Czopp said in an interview that he questioned the firefighters who were working May 30 and they denied any marijuana use.
Felde demoted Meyer from captain to firefighter effective July 13. Meyer appealed, and the town Police and Fire Commission voted unanimously after a Sept. 12 hearing to instead demote Meyer's rank one level to lieutenant.
The commission's findings state: "It is uncontroverted that Mr. Meyer has a good record and outside of the incidents underlying the charges has received only minor discipline. Accordingly, a two-level reduction in rank goes too far."
Commissioners also said Meyer should not have lost his captain's salary during his appeal and ordered that he receive back pay. Czopp said the salary for captains and lieutenants is the same, so Meyer will not lose any money with his demotion.
Commissioners upheld three of four departmental charges Felde filed against Meyer.
The one they did not uphold was a charge that Meyer failed to respond properly to a mutual aid request July 10 from Elm Grove for a ladder truck for a fire. Commissioners said dispatch records showed Meyer did respond to the request.
Commissioners agreed with Felde that Meyer had improperly directed his subordinates that they did not need to wear masks while responding to a waste bin fire June 22 next to Wong's Wok on W. Blue Mound Road. Meyer also failed to wear a mask and carry a thermal imaging camera.
He also was faulted for failing to complete reports for multiple calls in May and June, and failing to report the potential marijuana incident.
Newshawk: Freaktan - 420Times.com
Source: Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel
Copyright: 2005 Journal-Sentinel Inc.
Contact: lsink@journalsentinel.com
Website: https://www.jsonline.com/news/wauk/oct05/360959.asp
Author: Lisa Sink
According to documents Fire Chief Alex Felde filed with the town Police and Fire Commission: Then-Capt. Tim Meyer told Felde about the possible marijuana use July 13 when Felde questioned Meyer about problems with the captain's record keeping and use of equipment. Meyer said other firefighters were "out to get him, and that the chief was unaware of all the things they were doing."
Asked by Felde to elaborate, Meyer said that on Memorial Day he smelled marijuana in the station's bay.
Meyer said he didn't investigate it or report it to police "because he was concerned with the potential for retaliation or 'ribbing' from his subordinates," according to the commission's written findings.
In an interview Tuesday, Meyer said he believes he was mistaken and that there was no marijuana in the fire house.
"It was just an odor, and there was no proof," said Meyer, who noted that he found none of the illegal drug in the station.
"We have a lot of fine people in the department, and if it turned out not to be the case, it could be very damaging to those individuals," Meyer said of the marijuana odor.
Meyer, who has worked for the town's Fire Department since 1989 and served as captain since 1996, said he was disappointed but will not appeal the matter further.
"I'm proud of my record over the last 16 years," he said. "The department has come a long way. While I'm disappointed, I accept the decision of the commission, and I'd like to move on."
Czopp said in an interview that he questioned the firefighters who were working May 30 and they denied any marijuana use.
Felde demoted Meyer from captain to firefighter effective July 13. Meyer appealed, and the town Police and Fire Commission voted unanimously after a Sept. 12 hearing to instead demote Meyer's rank one level to lieutenant.
The commission's findings state: "It is uncontroverted that Mr. Meyer has a good record and outside of the incidents underlying the charges has received only minor discipline. Accordingly, a two-level reduction in rank goes too far."
Commissioners also said Meyer should not have lost his captain's salary during his appeal and ordered that he receive back pay. Czopp said the salary for captains and lieutenants is the same, so Meyer will not lose any money with his demotion.
Commissioners upheld three of four departmental charges Felde filed against Meyer.
The one they did not uphold was a charge that Meyer failed to respond properly to a mutual aid request July 10 from Elm Grove for a ladder truck for a fire. Commissioners said dispatch records showed Meyer did respond to the request.
Commissioners agreed with Felde that Meyer had improperly directed his subordinates that they did not need to wear masks while responding to a waste bin fire June 22 next to Wong's Wok on W. Blue Mound Road. Meyer also failed to wear a mask and carry a thermal imaging camera.
He also was faulted for failing to complete reports for multiple calls in May and June, and failing to report the potential marijuana incident.
Newshawk: Freaktan - 420Times.com
Source: Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel
Copyright: 2005 Journal-Sentinel Inc.
Contact: lsink@journalsentinel.com
Website: https://www.jsonline.com/news/wauk/oct05/360959.asp
Author: Lisa Sink
