Six Miami firefighters have been terminated after allegedly placing a noose over family photos of a black colleague, city officials say.
On Sept. 9, a lieutenant with the City of Miami Department of Fire-Rescue discovered that his family photos in the fire station had been defaced with “lewd and sexually explicit renderings,” according to Fire Chief Joseph Zahralban, who described the incident as a “hideous, distasteful act of hate.”
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The lieutenant, who had been with the department for 17 years, is black, according to the office of City Manager Daniel Alfonso. Sources familiar with the case told the Miami Herald that someone created a noose out of twine and hung it over a family photo of said lieutenant. The Miami Herald also reported that several of his colleagues also drew lewd pictures on several other photos, including one of his wife and one of his children and their grandmother.
Zahralban said he immediately acted upon the incident after it was reported.
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“Appalled by my observation, I immediately requested the Miami Police Department investigate the matter and temporarily transferred all personnel assigned to that station, per our department policy,” he said.
Upon a further investigation in which more than 20 people were interviewed under oath, it was revealed that 11 members of the fire department had “some involvement” in the incident; they were relieved of duty.
Additional evidence pointed to six of those 11 (a captain, a lieutenant and four firefighters) being “directly involved” in the incident. They were swiftly terminated for “offenses surrounding egregious and hateful conduct,” according to Zahralban, while the remaining 5 were relieved with pay.
Termination letters sent Wednesday named the terminated employees to be William W. Bryson, Kevin Meizoso, David Rivera, Justin Rumbaugh, Herrold Santana and Alejandro Sese. The termination letters said that firefighters “defaced several personal photos of a fellow firefighter with graphic and obscene phallic renderings.”
“We cannot and will not tolerate behavior that is disrespectful, hurtful and compromises the integrity of the department and the City of Miami,” Alfonso told the Miami Herald.
Police initially responded to a vandalism call, but ultimately carried out the probe as a civil investigation that was turned over to fire department executives.
Under the city’s civil service procedures, the terminated firefighters can dispute their firings. More employees could be punished in the coming weeks, although the discipline would likely come down as suspensions or demotions.
“It is the policy of the City of Miami to provide a workplace for all employees that is free from intimidation, threats or violent acts,” Alfonso said.
