NEWTON, Mass. — A Newton firefighter says he’ll stop wearing a patriotic red, white and blue helmet after he faced possible suspension.
Richard Busa, an Iraq war veteran, wore the spray-painted helmet for more than three years, but his superiors recently told him to stop.
Busa initially objected, but he told The Boston Globe that he didn’t want to jeopardize his career by disobeying an order and pushing the issue.
Mayor David Cohen backed Fire Chief Joseph LaCroix’s decision to ban the helmet, saying it wasn’t about patriotism or freedom of speech, but professional standards.
Cohen said if LaCroix allows Busa to decorate his helmet, he’s allowing every firefighter to do the same. He said numerous decorations on the helmets would compromise the department’s professionalism.