Marshal warned on missing reports

AARON LEO Staff writer
Connpost Article Last Updated: 08/22/2008 12:55:53 AM EDT

BRIDGEPORT — Fire Marshal Bruce Collins has been issued a written warning, more fallout from the chief's investigation into the Fire Marshal Division that has sparked the termination of six fire inspectors.

Over a three-month period, Collins failed 17 times to send daily e-mail logs detailing his work in violation of department policy, Fire Chief Brian Rooney said. "This is his first time. He got a written warning," Rooney said.

Collins, who remains on the job, couldn't be reached for comment.

The discipline was disclosed at the Wednesday night meeting of the Board of Fire Commissioners, during which the board heard Collins' appeal of the discipline. The panel denied it, partly because Collins didn't attend the meeting.

Nobody knew why Collins was absent, including Robert Whitbread, president of the Bridgeport Fire Fighters Association Local 834, who was arguing on his behalf.

But Collins didn't have to attend, Whitbread added.

Rooney, using Global Positioning System units hidden in fire marshal vans, had monitored the inspectors' activities for several months last year. He said the six fired inspectors failed to carry out inspections and some used the vans for personal business.

He also charged some with falsifying inspection records, including e-mails logging the inspectors' daily work.

"All are supposed to e-mail daily activities," Rooney told the board.

Whitbread doubted the chief's evidence against Collins.

"All you get is the charge letter," Whitbread told the panel, adding that the chief brought the allegations 13 months after they allegedly occurred.

Whitbread said he also had more evidence refuting the chief's charges that the board didn't get to review.

But board member John O'Malley said the letter from the chief detailing the charges, and Collins' absence, convinced him of the discipline's merit.

Board President Stuart Rosenberg has complained about union members not showing up to argue their grievances, but Whitbread contends that's not necessary.

Still, Rosenberg said of Collins, "It's not too much to ask for him to be here."

Board member Jonathan Klein added that Whitbread didn't deny the charges against Collins.

The fire marshal can now appeal to the state Labor Board, where some of the six terminated fire inspectors — Stephen Vitka, Frank Gerardi, Ronald Morales, Manuel Alicea, Lorenzo Pittman and Capt. Nicholas Novia — have pending appeals. A seventh inspector, Ismael Hernandez III, was fired in October 2006 on unrelated charges.

The board was scheduled to hear Novia's appeal Wednesday, but Whitbread instead asked the board for a special hearing next week.

The union president said the city and the department requested the change in the hearing date, which has not been set.