City Cast Denver Why Denver Firefighters Are So Mad at Their Chief and The Mayor
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Mar 24, 2025 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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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.
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.
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.
