BRADLEY COUNTY, Tenn. — Bradley County Fire Chief Troy Maney was suspended June 22, while the mayor investigates if claims that he falsely obtained firefighting certifications have merit.
Maney surrendered his firefighting, hazardous material operations and instructions certifications June 20, after the state’s Firefighting Personnel Standards and Education Commission investigated a complaint that the chief obtained the certifications in a “fraudulent, false, or unauthorized manner.”
“This time period will allow the mayor to fully assess the documentation provided by the State and to determine the best direction for the Bradley County Fire & Rescue Department moving forward,” Bradley County Mayor D. Gary Davis said.
The complaint includes allegations of eight instances between 2014 and 2015 in which Maney received certifications or other credits, but did not complete exams or perform other requirements on the dates they were issued, reported the Times Free Press.
Submitted by Battalion Commander Myron Hawkins, the complaint alleges that Maney received certification for fire instructor training on a day Hawkins asserts the chief was attending a different program at the county sheriff’s office.
The commission has prohibited Maney from participating in the certification program for two years.
The agreement order states that it “represents a compromise and settlement of the controversy between the parties and is for settlement purposes only.”
Neither Maney nor his attorney have been available for comment.