Like a giant corporate conglomerate releasing bad news after the stock market closed, Charlotte Fire Department released a statement at 5:00 on Friday announcing the abrupt retirement of imbattled Deputy Chief Jeff Dulin.
The statement formally kills the 32 year carrer of Chief Dulin, who had shared an image of a now reportedly transgendered Bruce Jenner on his personal Facebook page. Charlotte City Manager Ron Carlee had told news outlets that he found the posting “highly offensive” as the review continued during the past week.
CFD Chief Jon Hannan in a prepared statement said Jeff Dulin, a 32-year department veteran who oversaw emergency management and homeland security for the city and county, retired effective 5 p.m. Friday.
“I want to thank Deputy Chief Dulin for his 32 years of service to Charlotte and the Charlotte Fire Department,” Hannan said in a news release. “From fighting fires to his dedication, to emergency management and homeland security, he has served the city and its citizens well, especially in his leading role in planning for the Democratic National Convention.”
With this announcement the City of Charlotte, Ron Carlee, The Charlotte Fire Deprtment and Chief Jon Hannan effectively toss the veteran under the proverbial bus, in a effort to continue the myth that the department had fired former CFD investigator Crystal Eschert for a similar offense.
Cedar's take: Let your common sense prevail, nevermind that The Charlotte Observer had already called the policy of firing city employees for tasteless social media posts, shortsighted and costly. Forget the reported fact that Dulin's apparent homophobic ills may be unfounded since his son is apparently an opennly gay man living in Canada, that he apparently has a very good relationship with.
If even a tiny dose of common sense is used it is clear that Dulin's forced retirement is just another troubling move by a chief and city manager who believe they are exempt from public oversight.
And the bus rolls on Beep! Beep!
14 comments:
Pretty fast approval from the State Retirement dept... ??
Well of course they let Jeff Dulin RETIRE instead of being fired for his facebook post. This just shows you that Crystal was fired for whilstle blowing not because of her post! I'm really disappointed with CFD.
this is just a drop in the bucket..STAY TUNED.....
Who cares? He was a good Chief, he did his job, he was eligible for retirement. The majority doesn't care about a stupid post on Facebook about the few LBGT folks that want to cry it hurt my little feelings, someone is making fun of me. Grow up little children. If you are so easily offended stay off Facebook.
The Facebook postings made by Jeff Dulin and Crystal Eschert were insensitive and inappropriate, and caused a portion of the community to call into question their ability to be fair and impartial in carrying out their duties.
Both of these individuals had, prior to this incident, been valued contributors to the Fire Department staff. Sanctions by the Fire Department were certainly warranted, but did their actions rise to such an egregious level necessitating loss of their jobs? The Charlotte Observer had offered a suggested alternative of suspension, sensitivity training and public apology.
The Fire Department has, instead, taken the easy way out by adopting a Zero-Tolerance policy for such incidents --- as opposed to a course of apology, education and rehabilitation. As result of this, Mr. Dulin has chosen resignation/retirement over termination and Ms. Eschert has chosen lawsuits over apology.
The city needs to realize that “insensitivity at the top breeds a culture of insensitivity in the ranks”, and that their “Zero-Tolerance policy” as exercised here by the Fire Department represents the height of insensitivity
The retirement of Chief Dulin a highly decorated vetern wa forced on him not by Chief Hannan but by Ron Carlee. Chief Hannan and City HR Director Cheryl Brown ofered carlee a way to place both employees back to work with appropriate disciplinary actions. But Carlee dismissed this solution in order to once again show he is runniing the shoow. Even though he did not start the investigation into Chief Dulin's actions until Friday morning with the demand that he leave immediately. One point in the difference between Escher and Dulin is he was a civil servive employee where Escher was not. We have lost a nationaly recognized leader over something so trevial and a coty manager who is out of control with power. City Council better wake and do something about him quick. We have already lost other leaders in city government to Carlee's bully attitude and attempts to run everyting hiw way.
Today's ruling is the final nail in the coffin fo Esheert! Chief Dulin falling on the sword for CFD ends the battle the fire Union an an ex airport person have against the fire department. No go away eshert you piece of crap and stop this attack on this department who you were never worthy of.
Today was a landmark win for the CFD. Chrystal Eshert is a piece of shot who never should have been employed at CFD. She caused the downfall of a highly decorated veteran who took the high road and resigned to keep her from having a chance to come back. Jeff Dulin is a true American hero who put CFD above himself. He made a. Public apology for his actions and did a 10th of what Eshert did. She never apologized to the community not once. She never should have been hired and the union that backed her looks like fools they are. A certain ex airport stationed person has tried to undermine the Fire Chief but his day is coming.
Well let start off with this..... Jeff Dulin caused his own downfall. He made the post to social media, that was his choice. Knowing the hotly debated issue of the Eschert case, it wasn't too bright on his part.
Dulin didn't take one for the team, Chief Hannan and Ron Carlee took care of him. See that plan blew completely up on them when they played the social media post on Eschert. Whoops, they forgot to tell Dulin be careful.
By your comments its not to hard to see you are a member of CFD. You may wanna go back to fire school and learn how to spell, as well as know your facts.
Eschert isn't done, this wasn't a win by any means for CFD. It actually was a lost for them. But no need to get into that, it will paly out soon enough I'm sure. If CFD and the City of Charlotte were ethical and practiced ethics, we wouldn't be here.
Jeff Dulin, the hero, stole money from the city and city taxpayers, thats called fraud. The hero was also caught having sex with an intern for the Charlotte Fire Dept. But he is a Hero???? Jeff Dulin was a smart man and educated in the profession he was in. But Jeff Dulin was no hero! He insulted the transgender community and he insulted his own son, whom is gay. How any parent could do that is beyond me.
You too are part of the problem, its clear you don't favor a woman that can do a man's job. One that many women can do that much better then you.
Now you can pull your panties out of your crack and go cry yourself to sleep next to you stuffed dalmatian named CHIEF.
Dear Anonymous,
I do not understand why a ruling by a Civil Service Board (who really just doesn't want to get involved in an otherwise unrelated major controversy) on a jurisdictional hearing is a "landmark win" or a "final nail in the coffin". Also, I am not sure why it is necessary to personally attack Ms. Eschert by calling her names and implying that she should never have been hired, was not qualified to be, or did not perform successfully as a Fire Investigator. I imagine that her personnel records signed by the same staff that fired her reflect a different story. I think it is highly illogical and narcissistic to suggest that Crystal Eschert caused Jeff Dulin's downfall. The fact that the two are related at all has NOTHING to do with Ms. Eschert. Jeff Dulin chose to make an inappropriate post. Should he have been forced to retire? I don't think so, but then I don't think Ms. Eschert should have been fired either. I don't even know Crystal Eschert, but I know she is not the enemy. She continues to fight for her right and everyone's right to FREEDOM OF SPEECH. Anyone and everyone who values that right...white, black, male, female, public employee, private employee, fireman, dispatcher, police officer, civil service or not, should pay attention, because an important precedent is being set with this case. Don't be fooled into thinking that this case is an attack on the CFD or the brotherhood. This situation is about being able to express your first amendment rights without fear of being terminated. That should strike a cord with everyone.
The above should burn into the minds of everyone that works for municipal government. Civil Service Protection was afforded to most Federal Employees under the Pendleton Act in the late 1880's to make sure workers didn't have to be concerned with elections or giving money to a particular candidate. It had nothing to do with wearing a uniform it was about the essential services being protected. All employees that work for municipal governmentdeserve the opportunity to not be worried about politics weather it's going to a fire, a high speed pursuit or fixing a street light. Being fired or targeted because you speak the truth even when it's not comfortable should not be a crime. There are however
consequences that are far greater for employees that wear a uniform. Should they have been fired or pushed out the door? From a tax payers view I believe there is far better punishment than this. Progressive discipline involves steps and firing is the last one. Not knowing the whole situation I would be speaking with ignorance but we have all done things we are or should be ashamed of and when we start to call into question others integrity or errors and we have a closet of skeletons ourselves we are a hippocrit and we shouldn't lay in judgement on others when we ourselves are under political pressure. The reason for Civil Service. As a former Charlottean I see all of these issues as a Department Head and City Leader issue. The work that goes on in the street by every worker uniformed or not is appreciated. You all built and maintain the Queen City and when the smoke clears it will be the worker that puts it back together. It is a great teaching that tells us of making bricks without straw. Only with supreme power can it be done and He doesn't wear a uniform. But if you remember correctly government put his son on trial and Crucified him for just telling the truth. John Belk always said Charlotte will thrive forever on the backs of exceptional workers and will topple to the ground with poor management. No matter where you move to the internet brings home to you. To the Union spoke of above and I would assume you mean the firemans union they talked trash on your predecessors in the late 60's and the early 80' but you appear to be alive and well and if the ex airport person is Jerry Orr he could have been anything he chose to be he was a power house in Charlotte when we were kids. Let the courts work it out a city commission can't rule on a legislative act only the General Assembly, a Competent Court or the Attorney General. Didn't you take Civics?
The ex-airport person is batallion chief Shane Nantz who ran his big mouth one too many times I also suspect he authored the 2:28 post. Nantz was too busy being up Orr's ass and his goons to pay attention to what his job was at the airport. In fact nantz was a supporter of the airport becoming an authority. Now the airport has 3 battalion Chiefs there to make sure the job is done right. As for nantz I guess he and orr are hmmm
why can't we all just get along?
Yea. Pay your bills and stay quiet when you are speaking with ignorance. Never thought I would say this but I'm glad I don't work there anymore. WWLD!!
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