Conn. Lawmakers Call for Fire Recruit to be Rehired

HARTFORD, Conn. -- State Rep. Ernest Hewett, D-New London today joined the president of the Connecticut NAACP and members of the legislature's Black and Latino Caucus to call on the city of New London to rehire black firefighter Alfred Mayo.

"We need the mayor to do the right thing," NAACP President Scot Esdaile said.

The group held a news conference this afternoon in the Capitol complex on the findings of an internal state investigation into Mayo's experiences last year at the state fire academy in Windsor Locks.

The investigation faulted the training school for violating procedures, jumping to potentially false conclusions about a cement-writing incident and having inappropriate communications with the New London fire officials about Mayo's performance.

Mayo, the sole black recruit in his academy class of 48 and the first black firefighter to be hired by New London since 1978, was fired by the city in December, days before his expected graduation from the academy.

The NAACP president told reporters that New London Mayor Daryl Justin Finizio along with Fire Chief Ronald Samul Sr., Jane Glover, the city's chief administrative officer and city councilor Wade Hyslop "have been irresponsible, negligent and downright unprofessional" in handling the Mayo controversy.

"This is the way they should have handled this particular situation, and did a thorough investigation and came forth with a thorough report before they strived to fire Mr. Al Mayo," Esdaile said.

The NAACP plans to meet with Finizio in coming days and personally hand him a copy of the investigation report.

"If he does not do the right thing...we'll have to get it in court," Esdaile said.

Copyright 2012 - The Day, New London, Conn.