By Samantha Cossick
The Public Opinion
CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. — Chambersburg Fire Department Captain Patrick Martin has been suspended without pay for 240 working hours for “conduct unbecoming of an officer.”
During a special meeting Monday, Chambersburg Borough Council unanimously voted to suspend Martin after he sent an Oct. 26 letter to International Association of Fire Fighters members asking they support IAFF by “refraining from providing volunteer firefighting services to the Borough of Chambersburg.”
Martin, president of the Greater Chambersburg Area Paid Fire Fighters Association, had written the letter in response to council’s proposal to reduce the fire department in the 2012 budget.
“This action is based solely on that statement of the letter and no other portion of the letter,” said William McLaughlin, council president.
McLaughlin cited several reasons for the suspension that included:
- Encouraging, sanctioning, supporting and suggesting a secondary boycott that interferes with the normal work of the department.
- Calling, instituting, maintaining or conducing a strike or boycott against the borough.
- Neglect of duty to properly control, manage and direct volunteer firefighters.
- Improper exercise of supervisory and personnel management over the subordinate volunteer firefighters.
Councilor Allen Coffman suggested Martin also be reduced in rank; however, that motion was defeated.
Chambersburg Emergency Services Chief William FitzGerald had no comment, stating the matter was a council decision.
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