By Lisa Beisel
The Maryland Gazette
Copyright 2007 Capital Gazette Communications, Inc.
All Rights Reserved
RIVIERA BEACH, Md. -- County officials will demote Riviera Beach Volunteer Fire Chief Kenneth B. Hyde to the rank of firefighter when he returns to the company next week after a 60-day suspension.
Chief Hyde originally was to return Sunday as a captain after his suspension over allegations of misconduct at the Pasadena fire house.
But Battalion Chief Michael Cox, county Fire Department spokesman, said it would be inappropriate to have the decorated firefighter in a leadership role.
“Chief Hyde has not committed all the offenses that have occurred at the company. However, he was the company commander and is being held responsible,” he said.
County Fire Chief David L. Stokes decided that the lower rank will remain in effect until county investigations of Chief Hyde and the volunteer company are concluded.
His former rank also won’t be restored until a Baltimore City probe into the death of fire cadet there is completed.
Chief Hyde was fired last month from his job as head of training for the Baltimore fire department because of his role in the death of the cadet.
“Chief Stokes has an obligation to uphold public trust,” Chief Cox said. “Until all the investigations are concluded, it just wouldn’t be appropriate to put (Chief Hyde) into a supervisory role.”
According to a copy of Chief Stokes’ Jan. 21 report, obtained this week by the
Maryland Gazette, county police and fire department investigators are looking into allegations that Chief Hyde ignored the chain of command, threatened witnesses and tried to thwart the investigation of the volunteer company.
Neither Chief Hyde nor his attorney would comment for this story.
Currently, two assistant chiefs - James Evans and George Smith - are taking Chief Hyde’s duties in his absence, Chief Cox said.
The county keeps four career firefighters - including a driver, a firefighter and two paramedics - who are at the station 24 hours a day responding to calls.
“Emergencies are still being answered, and there’s still a compliment of volunteers in the building who are assisting,” Chief Cox said.
Chief’s report
The Jan. 21 report by Chief Stokes lists 10 violations of county policy, ranging from unreported damage to a vehicle to allegations that the company didn’t appropriately respond to claims of sexual harassment.
County officials found pornography on station computers and uncovered allegations of sexual activity in the bunks as well as volunteers who responded to calls after drinking alcohol.
The report also found that response statistics for the company were falsified.
Specific allegations against Chief Hyde include that he tried to slow the county investigation leading up to the report by keeping witnesses from coming forward.
“Chief Hyde’s tactics to threaten and intimidate witnesses in an effort to thwart this investigation is conduct unbecoming an officer and will not be tolerated,” Chief Stokes said in his report.
Chief Hyde also ignored the chain of command by refusing to acknowledge the authority of county battalion chiefs in the station, according to Chief Stokes’ report.
Chief Cox said that Chief Stokes has been in contact with the leadership at the company, which has resolved or is working to resolve all the issues raised in the January report.
County police officials declined to comment on either the direction or status of their investigation.
Jim List, attorney for the fire company executive board, declined to comment for this story.
Hyde’s return
Some longtime members questioned whether all of the volunteers will acknowledge Chief Hyde’s official rank once he returns.
“As long as he’s a member, even though he’s not a chief, everyone will treat him as a chief,” said one former member of the executive board, who asked not to be identified.
He said Chief Hyde could be designated an “in station” chief, which would give him command over matters at the firehouse and within the company but not on fire calls.
“A demotion, that might hurt some people... (but with) the way people worship him... it’s not going to make much of a difference,” the former board member said.
Chief Cox acknowledged that being named a station chief was beyond the control of the county department, but said the rank would not be recognized at fire scenes.
Some longtime firefighters worried about the impact on dwindling morale among members or anger directed at anyone who cooperated with the county investigation.
In a Jan. 28 letter to the company and obtained by the Maryland Gazette, Chief Hyde’s railed against board members who voted for his suspension. He accused them of trying to “destroy” him and encouraged members to vote them out of office.
“It appears this clique wants to remove me from the company, and that is a shame because their discussion and their concern should be for what is better for the company,” he wrote.
At the Feb. 5 meeting, four board members who Chief Hyde identified in his letter, including the president and the recording secretary, were voted out of office.