On January 22, 2014 I wrote about a Fire Lieutenant from the Hartford Fire Department assigned to Engine 14 on Blue Hills Avenue. The allegations regarded the on duty behavior of the Fire Lieutenant who was assigned to Engine 14 on Blue Hills Avenue. Allegations of drug use and alcohol use , on duty, to the point the lieutenant was impaired came from several sources. You can read that posting here.
Rather than deal with the issue, Hartford Fire Administration merely moved the Lieutenant to Engine Company 2 on Main Street.
Now according to sources, the Lieutenant went into a local bodega this week, in uniform insisting that the bodega owner give him beer since he apparently had no money on him. When the bodega owner refused, the LT. took the beer and exited from the store, essentially stealing the beer. It was all caught on video.
Now, according to sources, the Hartford Fire Department has again been forced to deal with the issue. This time, rather than a transfer, he was put on vacation. This guy clearly has a problem and is a danger to the men and women of the Hartford Fire Department as well as the residents of Hartford. If he is impaired at work he is most likely also driving home at the end of his shift intoxicated.
When will someone step up and do what needs to be done. Either have him get help or terminate him before someone is seriously injured or dies as a result.
More to come on this
UPDATE 4/24/14 7:00pm- Apparently Caldwell was an "Acting" Lieutenant at the time of the alleged drunken incidents at Engine 14. I am told he longer has the title of Acting LT. He never obtained his rank officially, similar to the boyfriend , fiancee , significant other who has been very successful moving up through the ranks without obtaining his positions officially through testing and legitimate processes.
Also , the incident took place on March 31, 2014. No police action has been taken as of this time , I have asked for an explanation as to why.
there are more options if he is really seen on video during work time stealing a beer. Simplest is:
ReplyDelete1. Severe discipline AND
a. Require documented medical statement showing the employee is fit for duty after completion of a leave of absence for appropriate medical treatment for substance abuse. Random screens upon return to duty.
OR
b. Refer to EAP and require regular urine testing for drugs and alcohol. Failure to comply with testing requirements = termination.
2. If he's not willing to agree to 1a or 1b, immediate termination for theft on duty.
The Administration should have already done that when he was found drunk in the fire house, on duty, the previous times.
ReplyDeleteInstead they caved to the Union and just moved him to another fire house
He's actually a private and nothing is going to happen to him. Also he's been sent home unfit for duty at least four times and drove himself every time
ReplyDeleteHope the store owner called the cops and had him arrested.
ReplyDeleteThe union will enable him and if the FD doesn't cut him a deal the state labor board will order FD to take him back because there is no rule about stealing/drinking while on duty, just like they did to Windsor locks cop who's kop kid killed a 14 yo when drunk.
ReplyDeleteThe union has an obligation to represent him just as they did with Danny boy. Its the city's job to make sure T's are crossed and I's are dotted to expedite a solution. The city has known about this clown for years. What they did was create a hostile work environment for anyone who had to work with him. Now we can only hope he doesn't come back for revenge when he finnaly does get terminated. Doug is a piece of garbage!
ReplyDeleteSounds like he is another person taken care of by Pedro. What about Terry Waller? How did Terry get his new position? Is he related to Saurda Kee Borges? Is he qualified? Sometimes the Union has nothing to do with it but the Mayor dose and his almighty powers. It is always about money and greed. When will it ever end. No one can ever touch a politician until the Feds show up. Let's hope it is soon.
ReplyDeleteAint nutin gonna happen to my bradda. He was doing a fire inspection when the business owner flipped out. Aint no breathe olizer camera system. Plus chief waller will handle this business and put five across the lips of anyone who interferes ... Done deal. Verbal warning at best.
ReplyDeleteKevin. I had to work with this guy. He is crazy unstable. Drinking right in the firehouse. Its crazy how no one wants to do anything because of the possible interpertation that it would be a color issue. But now you are talking safety and lives. Its puts us in a touchy spot. I dont want to rat on him but i also dont want to go on calls with him. We have found him passed out in the house no less then a dozen times put him in headquaters. I bet he would not drink and pass out in there.
ReplyDeleteIf the pd cuts my cushy spot i will make more money working js then danny and stf combined!!!
ReplyDeleteThe officers are afraid to say anything because the current admin will transfer the officer instead of the real problem. He won't go to HQ because he's not on the E board.
ReplyDeleteA real mess but that is nothing new in the Hartford's Fire Dept. This barrier has to be broken. I feel some one is protecting this firefighter. Maybe the Union or possibly the Mayor and his gang. Magic was preformed for Terry Waller and up the ladder he went. Magic has been done for Waller's wife Saundra Kee Borges and on the job she stays. I rather be on the honest side because sooner or later the truth is going to come out.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous 7:37 PM,
ReplyDeleteThe House of Cards is close to collapse, stay honest. Like Mark Twain said "If you always tell the truth, you never have to remember the lies"
I am not sure how some of them can remember their own names with all the lies they need to remember.
When Caldwell got transferred to Engine 2, the Pump Operator who has been driving 2's on that group for the past 20 years immediately asked to be transferred to another fire station.
ReplyDeleteThe Chief's Aide that drives District 2 also immediately asked to be transferred.
That should send a message to 253 High Street about this guy. WTF is it going to take for Huertas and Waller to wake up and grow some balls?
Fire this P.O.S. and let the Union have to fight to get his job back. At least it will keep Caldwell off the line and out of the firehouses.
He should be put at TAC 1 with the Union/TAC/Captain Towey. He wants to stick up for Doug, let him work with him. If not the TAC, assign him to the Chief's office. Let him loiter around Huertas and Waller for a few weeks.
The previous post was absolutely correct, as soon as anything is said to Caldwell he immediately turns it into a racial incident. Nobody wants to be involved in a race or discrimination case. Everyone just crosses there fingers and prays for a fast tour with no runs or problems.
How f*cking sad is HFD? Any other job he'd have been fired years ago.
If Terry is now the new Assistant Chief, and not acting, same with the 2nd one...they are no longer protected under the Union...they have to deal with the City when it comes to discipline...as far as this Fire Fighter, his day will come...wait and see...all in due time...Fire Fighters are not protected like they use to be...
ReplyDeleteWhy not temporally assign him to the Mayors staff as his driver. The best of two worlds the mayor gets a chauffeur at no extra cost to the tax payers and we can can keep tabs on both of them easier.
ReplyDeleteKevin,Theres an old 'credo' I respect...."Risk being hated for doing or saying the right thing".. Well in the fire dept. it goes like this..."Risk being chastised by the union or punished by upper management (transfered or grouped in with "shitbags")for doing or saying the right thing" Oh yea and "May GOD help you if you decide to DOCUMENT ANYTHING!!!!!" I made that one up !
ReplyDeleteIt's pretty bad when you have to go into work and size up your crew and check the roster for that day to see who's working and then tell yourself to stop at the front door a structure fire because you crew isn't going to be there for you. Your crew of 4 capable members is now 3 or two because there is some dunkie or some 63 year old handicap or some guy they just hired who is there just for a paycheck with no skills who you know damn well isn't going to help. Last time I checked this was real. Good guys get hurt and die everyday in this profession. You would think our chief who was one of us would know this or maybe our union reps. Here an idea, instead of our union defending these dunkies time after time, they defend the good guys, who do their job and who come to work on time ready to work, to make sure they don't have to work with a hostile addict who is going to get them hurt.
ReplyDeleteKevin, rumor has it that the end is near for Chief "Charlie" Carlos Huertas. A very good source said that the mayor asked a certain Deputy Chief to take over as the new Chief of Department, and that he would terminate Hurtas's employment / contract immediately. This D/C told him (again rumor) "absolutely not". Like mentioned in previous postings and some postings that you refuse to post, hint hint, the mayor is setting Huertas up for failure so they can move certain individual into that position. There has been more grievances, suspensions with pay (paid vacation) than a lot of us can remember, the inmates are basically running the asylum, and because of this it reflects bad on the chief / city, and there fore will be used against him because he is incompetent. I may be wrong, but time will tell.
ReplyDeleteHey Kevin Walsh dont bother doing a retirement party because no one will show up.
ReplyDeleteI totally agreed about ur Chief Walsh statement !!!
ReplyDeleteWhy no party for DC Walsh? I find him to be a very friendly and caring person. He goes out of his way to make sure FF's on his group are happy. He is extremely fun to work with. Tour A was devastated to lose him when he got bumped back to Tour B. Such a wonderful man, why all the hate?
ReplyDeleteSoon chief waller will be in complete control. The contract is ready , so all u little haters need to get yo resumes ready .. Soon terry will giv u five cross the lip!
ReplyDeleteTerry can't even count to 5 you moron you are another NorthEnd Protectee when someone's dies all you inept lazy "make up of the city" will be on the outside looking in cause all the good guys will say hey Terry was in charge-you make me sick to turn an honorable position into who's my homeboy
ReplyDeleteThis is an awful shame that the HFD been covering this long for Caldwell. I had no idea it was this serious until now. Ive tried to talk to him about this whole situation and all he says is "Dont worry im not going no where" Caldwell is a walking time bomb. Just this morning he comes to my residence at 6:30 'INTOXICATED' and i had to call the HPD. Hes ignorant, belligerent and VERY DISRESPECTFUL.. SMH..INDIA HAYES
ReplyDelete