ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch has placed St. Petersburg Fire Rescue Chief James Large on paid administrative leave after 17 years at the helm.
Several city council members called for Large to step down following an anonymous city-wide employee survey.
The mayor's office got the results of the survey back in early July, which included allegations of discrimination against people with disabilities, concerns about the way people are promoted with the department and comments on morale.
In all ABC Action News found more than 30 negative claims about the fire department and at least 12 of them mention the fire chief specifically.
Mayor Welch released a statement on Large's dismissal which read:
Two important points here. First, Chief Large, like any employee has the right to respond to these allegations and he has denied all wrongdoing and any impropriety. Secondly, under my administration, we will address such issues in a direct and transparent way in accordance with our core principle of intentional equity.
ABC Action News sat down with the President of the St. Petersburg Branch of the NAACP—Esther Matthews—who says the group taking their time to comb through the 240-page report on the employee survey.
"To ensure that we are not making a haphazard view of it we are intentionally taking the time to review it," she said.
But she also adds that what she's seen so far is concerning.
"I'm a firm believer that where there's smoke, there's fire and so in that space we must know that something is going on," said Matthews.
For her, the outcome of this survey provides further proof of the need for a citywide "Equity Officer."
The city announced that it was looking to hire for the position back in May, after a study on "structural racism" in the city.
According to the job description, this person would be a part of the mayor's cabinet and provide "oversight and direction over the city's efforts to advance racial equity and inclusion within city government in collaboration with community stakeholders."
"As we know departments focus on what they focus on but the need, and this has been a great need, for a very long time for someone solely focused on diversity, equity and inclusivity within city administration has been a long time coming and I'm glad to see it's finally in place and a reality," said Matthews.
In the end, Matthews is encouraging the community to give Mayor Welch time to do a thorough review of the survey results and make good on previous promises to promote diversity and equity across the entire city.
"We simply need to allow him the opportunity to do what he need to do to ensure that St. Pete is the city that we like love to talk about, 'One St. Pete.' Well, we have to ensure that when we say 'One St. Pete,' it includes all of the diversity that we love to see as we walk all in and around the city," she said.
In the meantime, Assistant Fire Chief Robert Bassett will serve as acting fire chief.
