Brian Maass, an investigative reporter at CBS Colorado, dives into the turmoil within the Denver Fire Department. He reveals that a staggering 64% of firefighters lack confidence in their chief, Desmond Fulton, while Mayor Mike Johnston dismisses their concerns. Maass discusses the controversies around comp time mismanagement and the growing dissatisfaction with transparency in leadership. The podcast also highlights the rising tensions over diversity initiatives and the upcoming critical negotiations between the fire union and the city.
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question_answer ANECDOTE
Initial Investigation
Brian Maass's investigation began with a firefighter sharing documents about the fire chief and comp time.
Further investigation revealed the chief charged comp time for routine events like retirement parties and memorials.
insights INSIGHT
Comp Time Abuse
Denver Fire Chief Desmond Fulton and his command staff habitually billed comp time for routine events and duties.
This comp time was then used to take vacations, allowing them to cash in unused vacation time for substantial sums.
insights INSIGHT
Investigation Process and Double Standard
Maass used Open Records Act requests to obtain timekeeping records, revealing the comp time practices.
Firefighters were explicitly told they couldn't cash in vacation time, creating a double standard.
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In 'Rebel Girl: My Life as a Feminist Punk,' Kathleen Hanna recounts her journey from a tumultuous childhood to becoming a pioneering figure in the feminist punk movement. The book delves into her early days in the music scene, her experiences with sexism and violence as a female musician, and her role in bands such as Bikini Kill and Le Tigre. Hanna also discusses her personal struggles, including her battle with Lyme disease, and her continued activism and contributions to the feminist movement.
An overwhelming 64% of Denver’s firefighters voted last month that they have “no confidence” in their fire chief, Desmond Fulton. But Mayor Mike Johnston holds the power to hire and fire the chief, and he brushed off the firefighters’ vote. So as the fire union prepares for another round of collective bargaining with the city, producer Paul Karolyi is sitting down with CBS investigative reporter Brian Maass to break down where the bad blood between the Fire Dept. and the mayor started, dig into some fresh data on what the Fire Dept. actually does, and talk about where the complicated internal politics of the department will go from here.
Do you or someone you know have experience working at the Denver Fire Department? We would love to talk to them about the diversity question and everything else. Text or leave us a voicemail with your name and neighborhood, and we will reach out: 720-500-5418
For even more news from around the city, subscribe to our morning newsletter Hey Denver at denver.citycast.fm.
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