Read police perspective on this story from the blog Second City Cop on 11/3 (with more than 400 comments), 11/11 & 11/15
The scene was a rescue call on November 1 for two men who had fallen into the river near Goose Island. The men were pulled from the water but not before an apparent scuffle between a Chicago Fire Department captain and a Chicago police officer who is assigned to the marine unit.
CFD spokesman Larry Langford told the Chicago Tribune that an active investigation is in progress. The paper points out this probe is underway at the same time fire department brass is moving into new office space at police headquarters.
Sources say the police officer had responded by boat to the call. The officer identified himself as a marine unit officer, and the fire captain allegedly grabbed him by the front of his uniform and threw him to the ground, shouting obscenities and saying the rescue was a Fire Department operation, according to one source.
The police officer reported back to his commander, and the fire captain was taken away from the scene by other fire officials, sources said. The officer has since complained of numbness in his hands.
One source said the fire captain was upset the police officer was not wearing a life preserver and told him to "get out of here."
Also on STATter911 …
- UPDATED: Chicago Fire Commissioner Robert Hoff stepping down. – February 15, 2012
- UPDATE – Radio Traffic: Captain Herbie Johnson, Chicago Fire Department killed in South Side house fire. CFD spokesman says flashover in attic. – November 2, 2012
- Pre-arrival video: Fire at cleaners in Webster, TX. – March 26, 2013
- UPDATED – Must see video & radio traffic: Two rescued from Chicago apartment fire. Additional videos added showing master streams in operation. – November 14, 2012
Comments
Powered by Facebook Comments
The police officer should have been wearing a life vest but after a warning by th efire department. That is on him, write it up later. However all members should act in a professional manner at all times. The scene is not a place for an argument. After the call is appropriate. Fire official should have went about their business managing the call per protocol. That being said…armchair quarterbacking is easy when you are not there and dont know the true story. Safety and Professionalism is of utmost importance!
Based on everything i've read both in the blogs from "eyewitnesses" and the few official news stories, looks like a nice cover up is in the works. "Officials would not provide more details about the incident" is the name of the game.
Doesn't look like this incident is going to rough the general relationship between police and fire up, the Captian (according to "eyewitnesses") isn't popular in either department. It'll be interesting to see how this one goes.