Palm Bay, FL, Lieutenant Fired after Investigation for Fabricating Paramedic Program Records
Palm Bay Lt. Kevin Plunkett was fired after he was found falsifying documentation for a paramedic program.
According to WFTV9, the investigation began after the city-sponsored Eastern Florida State College Paramedic Program dismissed him.
Investigators found several issues with Plunkett’s clinical records, including falsified or inaccurate documentation, fabricated clinical hours, forged signatures on logs, patient contacts he may not have participated in and misleading the college about completing the program.
“The City expects all employees to meet the standards of conduct established for public service, and personnel actions are taken when those standards are not met,” Fire Chief Richard Stover said in a statement.
After a pre-disciplinary hearing, the city determined Plunkett falsified clinical documentation and inaccurately reported clinical hours and patient contacts.
The city sustained two dismissible offenses, including behavior that cast doubt on Plunkett's ability to uphold public confidence.
According to Palm Bay, Plunkett had the chance to present mitigating facts, an explanation, or opposing evidence during the hearing. Although he may not have fully agreed with its conclusions, his signature on the memorandum showed he had received and read it.
The city stated that since the issue involved a former employee, it would not disclose more information.
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Ryan Baker is a writer and associate editor with prior experiences in online and print production. Ryan is an associate editor for Firehouse with a master's degree in sciences of communication from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. He recently completed a year of teaching Intro to Public Speaking at UW-Whitewater, as part of his graduate program. Ryan acquired his bachelor's degree in journalism in 2023 from UW-Whitewater, and operates currently out of Minneapolis, MN. Baker, also writes freelances for the Ultimate Frisbee Association (UFA) in his free time, while also umpiring baseball for various ages across the Twin Cities Metro Area.