By Paul Bird
The Indianapolis Star (Indiana)
Copyright 2006 The Indianapolis Star
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business News
A Perry Township firefighter facing felony charges after being accused of assaulting two women has rejected unpaid administrative leave from work and now must fight to keep his job.
Kevin Roberts, 35, Indianapolis, was arrested Nov. 12 after contacting Marion County Sheriff’s deputies investigating the reported assaults of two women in the 8200 block of Bravo Place.
Neighbors reported a disturbance at the address, a police report said. Two women told Marion County sheriff’s deputies they had been choked by Roberts, the report said. Witnesses said a man ripped one woman’s clothing.
Perry Township Fire Chief Norm Wilson recommended Roberts be fired.
Roberts spent 10 days in custody at the Marion County Jail under $100,000 bail. He was released after agreeing to wear an electronic tracking device.
Wilson placed Roberts, a Perry Township firefighter since January 2002, on unpaid leave pending the outcome of the criminal charges.
However, Roberts objected to the unpaid leave and notified the fire department’s merit commission that he wanted to appeal the chief’s decision.
The hearing has been scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday at the Perry Township Government Center, 4925 Shelby St.
“After conducting an investigation of the allegations, I cannot justify to the citizens of Perry Township having this man on the payroll any longer, Wilson said in a written statement. “He was in jail for 10 days and did not notify the department of his arrest. We wouldn’t have known of his arrest except for a deputy who stopped by the firehouse to tell the firefighters that Roberts had been arrested.”
Wilson said Roberts signed an agreement to wear the electronic monitor as a condition of his release from jail. Part of the agreement signed by Roberts states that the device couldn’t be covered with any article of clothing, which could interfere with its operation.
Wilson believes Roberts would be unable to wear required protective gear and thus he would be unable to perform a firefighter’s duties.