Tulsa Firefighter Uses City Charter for Demotion Trial

For the first time in Tulsa (OK) City Council history, a trial is scheduled for for councilors to determine whether there was sufficient cause for a firefighter to be demoted, reports Tulsa World.

Jeremy Moore, 37, is exercising his right under the City Charter to challenge in an open trial before the council his demotion from the Tulsa Fire Department’s administrative chief position.

Moore was notified Nov. 7 that he would be serving as a district chief, his previous job, rather than in the administrative chief post he had held since April 2011. He retained an attorney and filed his trial demand with the City Clerk’s Office on Nov. 16.

Fire Department administrators are expected to argue that Moore was transferred by former Fire Chief Allen LaCroix into the administrative chief post — not promoted — and therefore his transfer out of the position is not a demotion.

In additional documents filed with the city late Wednesday, LaCourse pointed out that the position change has resulted in Moore’s salary being reduced from $94,011 to $81,654 annually.

“He was an administrative chief and is now a district chief back in the field,” the attorney said in the filing. “If that is not a demotion, I’m not sure what is.”

Moore was one of five candidates in this year’s search for a new fire chief, which ended with Ray Driskell’s getting the top job.

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