Ohio Chief to Order More Training for Armed Firefighters

All 13 Columbus firefighters who carry guns on duty have passed their annual weapons training, but Fire Chief Greg Paxton said he will require them to undergo additional training.

Paxton said he is working with the city public safety director's office to develop a use-of-force policy after The Dispatchreported that the Fire Division has never had a written policy.

The newspaper also found that just four of the 13 firefighters who carry weapons are certified to do so through the Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy, which certifies all peace officers in the state.

City officials said a city ordinance passed decades ago by the City Council grants firefighters on the bomb squad and arson investigation unit limited arrest and use-of-force powers as long as the event pertains to fire-related incidents within the city limits.

City officials said the division has "a verbal agreement" to follow the Police Division's policy, but George Speaks, deputy director of public safety, said there are safety and liability concerns.

Paxton said yesterday that the new policy will require new members of the division's bomb squad and arson unit to become certified through the academy.

Firefighters currently on those units but not academy certified will not have to become state-certified.

"It is not possible for them to go through the (academy) training because it takes months of training and we don't have the ability to remove them from service for that long," said Battalion Chief Pat Ferguson. "What the (gun policy) committee is doing is determining what level of training all members of those units should have."

A review of mandated recertification requirements this week showed that all 13 firefighters successfully completed a shooting accuracy test conducted by the city's Police Division in May.

Paxton said fire investigators have guns because they track criminals and investigate crime scenes.

He said initially that 14 of the city's firefighters in the bomb squad and arson investigation unit carried weapons, but upon further review discovered one of the firefighters does not.

Of the four Columbus firefighters who are state certified, three received certification through the Madison County sheriff's office and the other through the city's police academy.

Last month Paxton took guns from two firefighters after determining their job duties did not require them to carry weapons.

Jack Reall, president of the International Association of Fire Fighters Local 67, has not returned calls seeking comment.

Copyright 2012 - The Columbus Dispatch, Ohio

McClatchy-Tribune News Service