HomeMy WebLinkAbout01/26/12 Special Meeting Board of Public Safety MinutesSPECIAL MEETING JANUARY 26, 2012 9
The Board of Public Safety met in a Special Meeting at 8:13 a.m. on Thursday, January 26, 2012
with Board President Patrick D. Cottrell and Board Members Laura Vasquez, Eddie Miller, and John
Collins present. Also present were Fire Chief Howard Buchanon, Assistant Chief Steve Cox, and
Board Attorney Andrea Beachkofsky. The meeting was held in the Board of Public Works Meeting
Room, 13`h Floor County City Building, South Bend, Indiana.
' FILING OF CHARGES 2012 -01 — TONY SCHELSKE
In a letter to the Board, Fire Chief Howard Buchanon requested the Board place Firefighter Schelske
on a nine (9), eight (8) hour day suspension from duty without pay. Upon a motion by Ms. Vasquez,
seconded by Mr. Collins and carried, the Chiefs recommendation was approved and the following
Charges were approved to be served upon Firefighter Schelske.
FACTUAL ALLEGATIONS
On January 6, 2012 while working as a Captain in Special Assignment at the Park Jefferson
Apartment fire, Firefighter Is` Class Tony Schelske took his Personal Communication Device and
recorded the fire on his device in violation of SBFD Duty Manual Section 404.00. He then
subsequently uploaded the aforementioned footage to the intemet site YouTube, therefore violating
SBFD Duty Manual Section(s) 404.01 (F) and (G).
COUNT I.
Violation of Duty Manual Section 404.00: Use of Personal Communications Devices
No firefighter shall use a cellular phone or other personal communication device
while responding to or at the scene of any emergency incident. Such employees
are expected to focus on the emergency at hand.
COUNT II.
' Violation of Duty Manual Section 404.01: Dissemination of Fire Department Information via
Internet or Otherwise
F. No firefighter shall post to any intemet site or transmit any photograph and/or
image created or otherwise obtained during the course of his or her official duty.
G. All photographs and images obtained during the course of official duty are the
sole and exclusive property of South Bend Fire Department.
PRIVILEGE OF THE FLOOR
Captain Fred Jaronik, South Bend Fire Department, presented the Board members with a copy of the
following question for Fire Chief Buchanon, and read it out loud:
"For the Record — Are all incidents of impropriety involving the intemet and the rules, regulations,
and/or policies of the City of South Bend/South Bend Fire Department, past and present, received
fair treatment and due process in accordance with said rules, regulations, and/or policies ?" Fire Chief
Howard Buchanon stated yes, they have.
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business to come before the Board, President Cottrell declared the meeting
adjourned at 8:18 a.m.
BOARD OF PUBLIC SAFETY
SPECIAL MEETING JANUARY 26, 2012 10
ATTEST:
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L nda M. Martin, Clerk.
Eddie Miller, Member
Jo Vollins, Member ,
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