By Rachana Rathi
The Boston Globe

NEWTON, Mass. — Firefighters assigned to perform a routine cleaning of Newton Fire Chief Joseph LaCroix's official car said they made a surprising discovery: marijuana.

The alleged discovery of a small amount of the drug Thursday beneath the driver's seat of the city-owned Crown Victoria is under investigation by police in LaCroix's hometown of Marlborough, even though the car was in Newton at the time it was found, city spokesman Jeremy Solomon said.

LaCroix, who met with city officials in Newton before turning the marijuana in to Marlborough police, issued a statement yesterday denying that the marijuana was his.

"The discovery came as a shock to me," LaCroix said in the written statement. "I have never imperiled the safety of Newton firefighters or the general public by using or possessing illegal drugs."

LaCroix, 62, joined the Newton Fire Department in 1972, and has been chief since 2003. His statement said he was cooperating with the investigation, and he apologized for any embarrassment the incident caused to fire officials, Mayor David Cohen, or Newton residents.

Firefighters at Fire Station 3 in Newton alerted LaCroix to the marijuana after they discovered it in his car. It is routine for firefighters to clean the chief's car, Solomon said. LaCroix then met with officials from the city's human resources, legal, and executive departments, before going to Marlborough police.

"The city does not suspect Chief LaCroix of using drugs, ... based on our informed observation of his conduct that day and his overall job performance," Solomon said.

Solomon would not specify why LaCroix was advised by the city to turn the drug over to Marlborough authorities, saying only that the decision "was based on the details of the incident, which are under investigation."

No charges have been filed. Marlborough police captain Paul Valianti declined to comment.

In a separate incident, Newton firefighter Keith Eppich, 30, of Norwood, was charged with possession of heroin Thursday after Boston police allegedly saw him buy the drug. He was to be arraigned yesterday in Dorchester.

Eppich joined the Newton Fire Department in 2004 and was placed on administrative leave yesterday, Solomon said. The city expects to hold a disciplinary hearing on conduct unbecoming a Newton firefighter next month.

The two incidents involving drugs in the Newton Fire Department follow an Aug. 6 contract determination by a state labor panel that was largely favorable to the firefighters union that, among other things, set aside a request by the city to impose random drug testing on firefighters.

The Joint Labor-Management Committee ruling ended a five-year contract dispute between Cohen and firefighter's union. Firefighters won five years of retroactive raises, more money for education, and eliminated a controversial clause requiring firefighters to present a doctor's note confirming they or their family members are ill.

Solomon said the issue of random drug testing would probably be raised again in January, when the parties are expected to begin collective bargaining on the next contract.

Copyright 2008, The Boston Globe