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A man who was training to become the New London (CT) Fire Department's first black firefighter in more than 30 years was fired in December 2012, and now a new report from The Day (http://bit.ly/zHnzF0) provides insights into the city's decision to fire him.
The paper reported on an "independent review" the city conducted in the case of Alfred Mayo, who was terminated by New London Mayor Daryl Justin Finizio after consultation with the fire chief and other department personnel who made up the review panel.
Mayo's personnel file revealed he was a good student with passing test scores, however he was fired for reported unbecoming conduct, including disciplinary issues that cited "unusual" or "egregious" behavior.
Mayo's firing brought the state National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) chapter to the city last Friday for a press conference. A black firefighter has not been hired by the city since 1978.
To read the entirety of the report, visit http://bit.ly/zHnzF0.
For more commentary on racial issues and hiring practices in the fire service, consider Merit should matter when hiring, FDIC 2010 Panel Tackles the Diversity Issue, Yelling ?Fire? in a Crowded Theater, Diversity: We Must Define This Issue Before We Can Solve It, A Matter of National Security, and Less Diversity Is Needed in the Fire Service.
