Ohio firefighters may have quit over intimidation

Alayna DeMartini
The Columbus Dispatch (Ohio)

CLINTON TOWNSHIP, Ohio — A Clinton Township firefighter might have had a hand in causing some co-workers to resign last year, an investigation has found.

Some firefighters told a private investigator that Tony Hoshor intimidated people into leaving the fire department after two full-time firefighters were laid off in February.

Clinton Township's trustees hired private investigator Vince Catalogna to look into allegations of work intimidation.

The township's trustees asked for an investigation after a flurry of rumors spread about the department's future. Unsigned letters surfaced throughout the township questioning the management of the department.

For the probe, Catalogna was paid $2,000.

Not long after the layoffs occurred, nine part-time and three volunteer firefighters resigned from the township's fire department. That was nearly one-third of the force.

One firefighter who had been working part time for the department told Catalogna that Hoshor "constantly harassed" him for remaining on the force after full-time firefighters had been laid off.

Fire Chief John Harris said that after Catalogna's investigation was completed, Hoshor 33, who has worked for the department for eight years, was warned against pressuring any personnel into leaving. Hoshor could not be reached for comment.

The exodus of employees cost the township a lot in overtime, Harris said. He and other township officials said they did not know the total.

This month, the department brought back Kurt Dietz, one of the full-time firefighters who had been laid off. In addition, a couple of part-time officers who had resigned have returned.

Harris said hiring a few more part-time officers would help further reduce overtime costs.

"It's a lot better than it was before," he said.