By Katie Langford
The Denver Post
GOLDEN, Colo. — Golden officials fired Fire Chief Kasey Beal this week, days after the City Council voted to oust the city manager for a “racist incident” at a fire station that was kept under wraps for months. Now, Beal is pushing back against the city’s decision.
City leaders announced Beal’s firing Thursday and said it was connected to how the city responded when someone left a Black doll hanging from a rope by its neck in a fire station stairwell in March.
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That incident was not made public until late July, when city workers outside the fire department learned what happened. The employee involved was then fired.
Beal was hired in 2021 and will be replaced by Deputy Chief Sean Jones, who will serve as interim chief, according to Golden officials. City Manager Scott Vargo was dismissed Tuesday night.
“The city also recognizes that personnel decisions alone will not address the broader concerns employees and community members have raised,” city officials said in a news release. “Work will continue to evaluate organizational culture, strengthen accountability and ensure City workplaces reflect the values expected by our employees and the Golden community.”
In a statement sent to The Denver Post, Beal said he reported the incident to human resources “within hours of being notified.” That launched an internal investigation, the results of which Beal said were never shared with him. He had to choose the employee’s punishment based on an oral summary of the investigation, he said.
“This incident was perpetrated by one individual, and when the doll was found, it was immediately removed by another member of the fire department and reported,” Beal said in the statement.
The employee responsible was demoted and suspended for 48 hours without pay, according to Beal’s statement. Beal said he also solicited two separate consultants to provide “intensive DEI training” for the entire fire department, originally set to commence in late August.
“The city is now proceeding with an independent secondary investigation, which is tantamount to an admission that their initial investigation was both inadequate and incomplete,” Beal stated.
“The fire department worked together with HR, City Legal, and the City Manager’s office to ensure maximum internal transparency regarding this incident,” his statement continued. “There was certainly no cover-up; it was treated with all due seriousness and in accordance with city policy.”
Beal said he plans to pursue legal action against the city of Golden for his termination.
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