By LYNDA COHEN, Staff Writer of the AC Press
An investigation is continuing into a city worker’s claim that Atlantic City’s fire chief dropped his pants at the Public Safety Building last week.
Chief Dennis Brooks is on administrative leave pending the investigation, the mayor’s chief of staff previously confirmed. But the administration would not comment on the nature of the allegations.
On Tuesday, The Press of Atlantic City obtained a letter the city worker’s lawyer sent to the city solicitor detailing the alleged incident. Sebastian Ionno had his office redact the woman’s name to protect her identity.
Brooks did not return numerous calls seeking comment....Continue Reading
The woman was working the metal detector at the Public Safety Building last Thursday when Brooks came in at about 11:30 a.m., Ionno said.
She “asked Chief Brooks to remove any metal objects before going through the metal detector,” states the letter, dated Friday. “Chief Brooks then proceeded to undo and drop his pants and advised (redacted name), ‘I am having a bad day.’”
Ionno also asks in the letter that any surveillance video that may have captured the incident not be destroyed. The Press submitted a public records request for a copy of the video on Friday.
“We just want to make sure they properly investigate what occurred and not retaliate against my client,” Ionno said.
There are no allegations of retaliation at this time, he said.
The lawyer is waiting to see how the investigation goes before deciding whether to take legal action.
Last week, the Beach Patrol union alleged Brooks tried to retaliate against members after his daughter did not get a job as a lifeguard. The union was trying to fight a move to put the Beach Patrol under the Fire Department.
A deposition Ionno had with one of the lifeguards details some of those allegations. The interview was part of a lawsuit filed by fire Capt. Rod Knox, who has pending litigation against Brooks and the department.
“The city has been aware of internal complaints against Chief Brooks,” Ionno said.
In late 2012, the fire union overwhelmingly cast a “no confidence” vote against Brooks and Deputy Chief Vince Granese, who is now acting chief with Brooks on leave.
The union cited a “lack of leadership and safety concerns before, during and after Hurricane Sandy.”
Firefighters were riding in the buckets of front-end loaders and forced to change shifts during the height of the storm, according to allegations by the union.
Current fire union President Chris Emmell said the chief deserves due process on the allegations.
“Until all the facts are out there, you can’t go off of hearsay,” he said. “If it happened, I hope he gets help.”
Brooks joined the department in 1979 and makes more than $220,000 a year.
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