Give me a break!

[residents]

I have been activly testing for three years now and have been a career firefighter for the last two. I came accross this story that most of you will not beleve. It involves a midsize (100+FF) midwesern department. I can not beleve this...

So a Sheriffs Deputy with a few years on the job is decides to go to a function put on by a small town. There is alcohol there and the Off Duty Deputy has several drinks. Later that night the Deputy thinks he should drive home even though he is clearly intoxicated. This all happened in 1998. On the way home the deputy slams into two pedestrians walking on the side of the road with his full size pick-up truck. So at this point the deputy knows he screwed up and would for sure loose his job. He decides to put himself first and not stop to help the people he just hit. He doesn't even call 911. Instead he continues to drive home drunk.

He gets home and as you may guess with a man of this judgment he tries to cover up the significantly damaged truck by hiding it in the garage. At the scene the victims finally recieve care. One of the two victims is hurt and the other dies. An investigation by the Sherriffs Department discovers that the hit and run murder was carried out by one of thier own off duty deputies.

The story was all over the papers for weeks causing many people to be outraged by the doings of an off duty cop. The man was of course found guilty and was to serve prison time. He was charged with a DUI, Manslaughter, and Hit and Run.

The former deputy served 2.5 years in prison before he was relesed.

Not knowing what to do the man decides he would be a good candidate for another public service career. He takes the test to become a firefighter/EMT within the same county he was a deputy. Guess what?....He scores 3rd out of over 150 candidates. The city he tested for knew all about his past but didn't see any red flags to not hire the man.

So last Thursday he was appointed as a career firefighter/EMT with a great department in a growing city with excellent pay and benifits.

My question is this. How can a man who selflessly put himself before others and KILLED a person while behind the wheel drunk get a job in this profession? He was already a deputy and left a huge black eye on one
that organization. There were plenty of other qualified candidates with no criminal backround at all.

Is there any justice to this man getting hired? What kind of message does theis send to the victims family and to the citizens of the city?

This is the biggest joke of a hiring I have heard of so I just though I would pass it on. I will try to post a news article on a new post.

[residents]

A former County sheriff's deputy convicted seven years ago of criminal vehicular homicide has been hired as a firefighter.
The City Council on Monday approved the hiring of Eric B. Thompson along with six other candidates to fill seven firefighter positions.
In December 1998, Thompson was sentenced in District Court to serve a three-year, eight-month prison sentence in connection with a hit-and-run accident that occurred in July 1998 that killed Ronald Carlson, 34, and injured his wife, Terri. The couple was walking home from a street dance when they were struck by Thompson's pickup. Thompson continued driving, hit another vehicle and fled the scene.
Council Member Bruce Snyder said he voted in favor of Thompson's hiring because he trusts the recommendations made by the Fire Civil Service Commission.
"My thoughts were, if (the commission) didn't see fit to raise any flags, I'm trusting that they did the proper checking and verifed that he was a qualified candidate," Snyder said.
Thompson could not be reached for comment.
The city had a total of 48 eligible candidates for the firefighter positions, said Linda Gilsrud, the city's director of human resources. She said candidates are assessed based on a written exam, physical performance test and oral interview. Candidates being recommended for the firefighter job also undergo a thorough background investigation.
City policies do not prohibit someone with a felony conviction from serving as a firefighter, Gilsrud said. Instead, the three-member Fire Civil Service Commission has the discretion to decide whether a candidate's criminal record should disqualify them for the job.
Joe Powers, president of the Fire Civil Service Commission, said he had no comment on the commission's recommendation of Thompson. However, he said he does not think the media should be covering the issue.
"I wish you folks (at the news paper) wouldn't comment on it, to tell you the truth," Powers said. "I really wish your editor would consider that. I've heard more backlash about KTTC T.V. coming out about this than you could imagine. They are not doing themselves any favors."
Fire Chief declined to comment on Thompson's hiring. He did say the city has a strict hiring process for firefighters.
"The whole (hiring) process is designed to take out any personal opinions or views and make everything fair and even and equal for people across the board," Chief said.
City Council member Pat Carr says he didn't know that one of seven people hired this week by the city has a criminal vehicular homicide conviction on his record, and Carr wants to reverse the hiring decision.
Carr said that at the time of the council's vote Monday, he was unaware that Eric B. Thompson, one of seven people hired, was convicted of the felony charge in 1998. Thompson was an Olmsted County Sheriff's Department deputy in July 1998 when he was involved in a fatal hit-and-run accident.
The accident occurred after a community festival when Thompson, off-duty at the time, struck a pedestrian with his pickup truck, then fled the scene. He pleaded guilty and served 2 1/2 years in prison.
"I consider this material information," Carr said. "Can somebody give me an opinion or a rationale for withholding what I consider significant information? I'm very upset about it."
Carr said he announced his request to revisit Monday's council action in an e-mail Wednesday afternoon to City Administrator Steve Kvenvold, City Attorney Terry Adkins and Human Resources Director Linda Gilsrud. Carr said it was unclear what steps exactly would have to take place if the council were to decide to undo its hiring decision.
Council President Dennis Hanson said he would not be receptive to revisiting the issue, nor did he imagine other council members would be.
"It's important for people to know, he (Thompson) made a mistake. He lives with that mistake," Hanson said. "He followed the proper procedure for becoming a fireman. There's no way I would hold that against him.
"He learned from what he did," Hanson said. "The poor man -- I think he suffered enough."
Hanson said he was aware of Thompson's criminal history before voting to hire him. Council member Bob Nowicki was aware of it as well. But council member Amy Blenker said she, like Carr, had not been informed. She had no immediate reaction to Carr's call for a revote.
Joe Powers, commission president, said Thompson is "legally, all the way around, qualified to be a firefighter," and holds all the necessary certifications for the job.
He said Carr would face a fight if he tries to reverse the hiring decision.
"Pat (Carr) can talk all he wants," Powers said. "Trust me, he knew about it."

[Peekay]

That's crap IMO. Sounds like this guy knew somebody, which I thought is the image of the fire service we are stepping away from.

I love this quote-

Joe Powers, president of the Fire Civil Service Commission, said he had no comment on the commission's recommendation of Thompson. However, he said he does not think the media should be covering the issue.
"I wish you folks (at the news paper) wouldn't comment on it, to tell you the truth," Powers said. "I really wish your editor would consider that. I've heard more backlash about KTTC T.V. coming out about this than you could imagine. They are not doing themselves any favors."

What a bag, the press has every right to report on this and make a comment.
Also I wanted to say that in Texas we have a law that prohibits anyone with a felony from getting an EMT cert. Good way to keep guys like this away from "hospitalable" departments.

[GeorgeWendtCFI]

The media should absolutely be covering it. My guess would be if the agency spokesman doesn't want it covered, it must stink to high heaven. Two questions to be answered:

1. When he was convicted, was there a provision entered on his Judgement of Convction that would preclude him from holdnig a public position? The Judgement of conviction is a public record and will contain a factual basis of the conviction and a statement by the judge about the sentence.

2. Is there a law in CO that prevents a person with a felony conviction from holding a public position?

Good luck.

[WIff4hire]

I like to believe in second chances, that people can change, but this is rediculous. The man committed a felony, which cost another man his life, and hes now put in another position of trust.

[residents]

This didn't take place in Colorado rather Minnesota. I beleve in second chances and I know people screw up and drive drunk all the time. But being an off duty cop and hitting two people then leaving the scene is way over the line. I wonder if the person would have lived if he stopped right away instead of running and trying to hide. The man is in "The good old boy network" and that is what got him a second chance. His dad and brother are both affiliated with the city police department. I have scene candidates get turned away for the littlist offense for many departments then I see this. Like I said GIVE ME A BREAK!

[BCLepore]

While this guy may have gotten a second chance, peer pressure in the fire station is pretty strong. I hope the men and women of the department hold this guy's feet to the fire.

While I don't have all of the facts, if this is true this is an embarrasment to the fire service. Are our standards so low that we hire a guy with absolutely no morals?

This makes me sick. It's also insulting to all of the qualified men and women who were passed over to hire this knucklehead. I am confident the firefighters of this department do not support hiring this guy. It makes them all look badly.

[FFEMTMills]

residents, shoot me a private message i think i know the department just want to know if it is the one I am thinking of. Thanks

[residents]

FFEMTMills. This involves the only full time department in Olmsted County.

[GeorgeWendtCFI]

This has little to do with this guy being a former police officer. It has to do with hiring a convicted felon to hold a position of public trust.

[Bones42]

IMO, no, he should not be able to get the job.

This is close, but not the worst I have heard.

[FFEMTMills]

Exactly the one I thought.

[SubWay1]

I think we should all have a good idea of how competitive and difficult it may be to actually get a job in the fire service. What it frustrating is that he apparently beat out everybody except for 2 people, and he had this felony on his record. I believe in 2nd chances just as much as the next guy. The problem however is when you have hundreds of applicants who don’t have this felony on their record, and he still places before them, what does that say?

[plhansen84]

Well here is a thought that I have noticed that no one has brought up. Ok yes the felony is the issue, but what about driving drunk in "most" dept. if you have a DUI/DWI you will either not get a job nor get a job. This isn't right for many reasons. What about all of the people who are working hard and staying out of trouble and NOT getting jobs. I'm not saying that this guy isn't gonna be a good firefighter. But lets face it he is in a position of trust, do you think that the residents are gonna trust a FELON.

[taxpayer]

It sounds like the news of Rochester, MN fire departments hiring practices have made more than just me and my family mad. Some information that you might not know though is along with the drunk 47 other canidates were put on the departments civil service list. Of those 48 total people 2 were females and 1 was a minority. Out of 48 people only 16 were interviewed. In that 16 fell the 2 females and 1 minority and several other white males who had not even completed the education requirements set by the fire department. Of the 7 people hired, all of them ended up being white males including 3 which are not even certifided EMT's.
The other kicker of this whole deal is Rochester received a grant from Homeland Security (our tax dollars) to hire 3 of the 7 fireman that they did. Part of that grant is supposed to be to make the fire department more diverse however they chose to hire no minorities or women. In fact two my knowledge there is only 2 females and 2 minorities that are currently employed fire fighters in Rochester. I personally think the city should have to pay back the hundreds of thousands of dollars from this grant. Apparently the chief is not responsible enough to hire qualified indiviuals and if he thinks hiring a felony drunk is such a great idea why doesn't he pay the guys salary out of his own pocket instead of taking tax payers money and flushing it down the toilet.

[taxpayer]

Do you live close to Rochester?

[FFEMTMills]

I was told by a Rochester firefighter that the city was reevaluating some stuff because the 2 women were so far down on the list. From what he told me they were right near the bottom, so they should not have gotten interviews. As far as the rest of the post and people not meeting the requirements that is absolute BS and just ridiculous.

[plhansen84]

Ok so if they didn't have the requirements why would you even think of hiring them. Thats like hiring a doctor who has never been to school to be a doctor. As far as the EMT thing goes....well I don't think that, that is a big deal, becuase a lot of dept. that is not a requirement to be hired, you just have to have it before you probationary period is over. Yes I do agree that it makes your job a little bit diffucult becuase now a days its like oh say 90% EMS calls. YES that shoud be a REQUIREMENT to be hired that you MUST be at minimum a first responder to be hired.

Stay Safe

[BCLepore]

I have a couple of thoughts. First of all I have had some experience in writing grants for the fire service. I have yet to see one that has anything to do with hiring minority firefighters. As a general rule the grants have been for trianing and equipment. On occasion salaries to implement a grant funded position can be tied up for a specified period of time. Grants for hiring minority firefighters are a new one for me.

My second thought is that if the women and minority firefighters are on the bottom of the list they cannot be hired UNLESS the list is banded. If it were banded they would not have been on the bottom since everyone in the band is equal.

If the hiring agency only hired white males it does raise a question. Maybe a better question is how many minorities actually made the list?

I am in no condoning thier hiring practices. As a matter of fact if I was in charge of hiring, this former cop/felon would have never made it past the application phase.

I would lilke to see this situation get more publicity and let the people who did the hiring answer for their actions.

While it may have been legal (as he paid his debt to society by doing jail time I assume???) this makes all fire departments look pitiful.

[Firemedic515]

I have a question...How can this felon possibly be certified as an EMT? I know in Ohio, a DUI would result in having your card revoked let alone DUI, hit and run, and manslaughter. Any explaination?

[residents]

The Post-Bulletin

A controversial appointment of seven firefighters to the Rochester Fire Department will stand.

The city council, in a special emergency meeting on Wednesday, deadlocked in a 3-3 vote and failed to pass a motion to reconsider the appointments made at the March 20 regular council meeting.

Among the appointees was a former Olmsted County Sheriff's Department deputy convicted of felony charges in a 1998 fatal hit-and-run accident.

Council member Pat Carr challenged the appointment of the former deputy, Eric B. Thompson, and the other six candidates on the grounds that council members were unaware of Thompson's criminal history, and that three of the seven candidates lacked full firefighter credentials at the time they were placed on a list of eligible job candidates.

Carr also planned to argue that he believes the hirings jeopardize a $300,000 federal homeland security grant to the Fire Department, but was not permitted to make that argument.

Wednesday's meeting began and ended in just a few minutes. After preliminaries, Council President Dennis Hanson called for a motion. Carr moved to reconsider the appointments, and Amy Blenker seconded.

Without pausing to ask for discussion, Hanson called for a vote. Carr, Blenker and Sandra Means voted for the motion; Hanson, Marcia Marcoux and Bruce Snyder voted against it. Council member Bob Nowicki is on vacation and was absent.

After the swift vote, Carr still tried to argue his case, but was not permitted to speak because the issue had been resolved.

"By law, we're restricted to the topics we're here to consider," said City Attorney Terry Adkins.

Carr pressed on, making a motion to reconsider the 3-3 vote, but that failed to receive a second.

He spoke angrily after the meeting.

"It was a big, giant railroad job," Carr said. "They didn't want to hear we're in noncompliance with a federal grant."

Carr alleges that the city violated an equal-opportunity requirement of the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant, which the city applied for and won last year. The grant requires that fire departments hire women and minority candidates "to the extent possible."

The seven current appointees are all white and male. The list of 48 qualified candidates included two women and one ethnic minority, according to sources.

Assistant Fire Chief Dan Slavin said he believes the department has an uncommonly progressive equal-opportunity policy and is not in violation of the grant requirements, "but I'm going to give it to the city attorney and let him look at it."

Carr said he planned to contact the grant administrator at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to have Rochester's compliance investigated.

Hanson, as council president, runs council meetings and routinely asks for discussion before votes. He quickly left the council chambers at the end of Wednesday's meeting and could not be interviewed. He could not be reached by telephone Wednesday and did not respond to a message left on his cell phone.

[taxpayer]

I am kind of wondering what the purpose of this civil service list is. I contacted some different people within Rochester and I was told more than once that the fire department did NOT have to hire based on ranking on their civil service list. They did hire the first people with the exception of number 4 who dropped off at his own choice. However, the way they ranked everyone was written and physical test scores made up 40% and the interview was 60%. So basically they can boost or drop your over all score at their discression.

As far as the women and minorities go, if they were so far down on the list why were they even called then to come back in for a second interview when the department was only interviewing 16 out of 48 people?

I would like to hear what the wife of the man that was killed by Thompson has to say. I'm sure she really loves the idea that if she happened to be in a car accident in Rochester that Thompson might be the one showing up at the scene.