CA Chief Accused of Recording Colleagues

The union representing firefighters in a suburb east of Los Angeles claims a battalion chief secretly recorded them and took notes on their conversations in order to gather evidence for disciplinary action.

The Inland Valley Daily Bulletin reports that the La Verne Firefighters Association, which has been engaged in a legal battle with the city for 10 months, filed a complaint alleging Battalion Chief Michael Thompson recorded more than 250 videos, took 1,500 photos and kept a 235-page file of notes—some of them including private conversations union members had with their wives. The union says Thompson's surveillance began in Summer 2017.

Thompson’s “behavior was grotesque. This is not how a professionally managed department or city should be run. It is sad and unfortunate that it has come to this,” firefighter and IAFF Local 3624 President Danny Montoya said at a city council meeting.

Thompson was placed on administrative leave and an investigation has been initiated, La Verne City Manager Bob Russi told the Daily Bulletin.

The union's legal battle with the city involves claims of retaliation against members by Fire Chief Peter Jankowski for the union's support of the mayor's opponent in the 2017 election. Union members issued a vote of no confidence against the chief in May of last year and later sued the city for $1 million.

The association now says it will agree to settle the dispute out of court if the city agrees to remove both Chief Jankowski and Thompson, and welcome city firefighters into the hiring process to replace them.