AURORA, Colo. --
A six-year veteran of the Aurora Fire Department resigned last week amid allegations that he allegedly tampered with the drugs in the fire trucks and in the emergency medical kits, the Aurora Fire Department announced Tuesday.
Firefighter Christopher Garipay, 30, is facing charges of theft, embezzlement of public property, possession of a controlled substance, and unlawful use of a controlled substance.
Garipay is due in Arapahoe County District Court on July 12.
During the first week of April, a firefighter had noticed that someone had been tampering with the painkillers in the department's emergency medical kits. The firefighter noticed a needle hole on a vial in one of the boxes of pain medication. The painkillers are controlled substances, similar to morphine.
The employee told supervisors about the tampering and the fire department turned the case over to the police to investigate. Garipay was identified as a suspect and was relieved of departmental duties and station access. He was placed on leave pending the outcome of the investigation.
All pain medications in question were replaced in emergency medical kits.
Although security measures were in place at the time of the tampering, new policies and procedures have been adopted for the safety, inventory and security of pain medications, the Aurora Fire Department said.
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- April 15, 2007: Fire Dept. Worker Suspected Of Tampering With Painkillers
