Peter Schorsch
St. Petersburg Fire Rescue Chief Jim Large has been placed on administrative leave, effective immediately, Mayor Ken Welch wrote in a memo obtained by Florida Politics.
The action comes after an employee survey uncovered several anonymous comments, some mentioning Large by name, accusing him of sexist, racist and homophobic remarks, according to the Tampa Bay Times, which first reported the comments one week ago.
Since then, calls for Large’s removal have come in, including from City Council Chair Brandi Gabbard and City Council member Richie Floyd.
“After numerous conversations and feedback received from multiple individuals, along with the allegations made and information received in the Employee Climate Survey, as well as other information received, Chief James Large is placed on Administrative Leave effective immediately,” Welch wrote in the Friday memo.
Assistant Fire Chief Robert Bassett will be acting Fire Chief while Large is on leave, according to the memo to Welch’s cabinet.
Welch’s spokesperson, Erica Riggins, previously said city leaders were reviewing feedback and developing plans of action, according to the Times.
Welch, the city’s first Black Mayor, has made “intentional equity” one of his key pillars of government.
His decision to place Large on administrative leave comes after the previous administration, under former Mayor Rick Kriseman, declined removing Large from his position atop the city’s fire rescue department. Then, a 2014 committee on Kriseman’s transition team recommended Large’s removal based on his failure to promote minorities.
Large has served nearly a half-century with the department. He was promoted to the top post in 2006.
A city inclusivity report found both the fire and police departments employed a larger percentage of non-Hispanic whites than in other departments, specifically Leisure Services and Public Works, according to the Times. The report also found that inappropriate behavior reports were higher in the fire department and Public Works than in other departments.
In 2022, Large was named Florida Fire Chief of the Year by the Florida Fire Chiefs Association.
3 comments
White Christian
August 7, 2023 at 10:16 am
Sexist, homophobic and racist? Maybe our next Governor.
Earl Pitts "The Ronald's UnOfficial Campaign Manager" American
August 7, 2023 at 10:57 am
Good mornting America,
St. Pete is around 80% Dook 4 Brains Leftist in its voter population. Which means it’s local government along with those in local government who are responsble for appointing and/or the overseeing of such local governmental positions such as … oh I dont know … so lets just randomally pull a postion out of thin air … OK Fire Chief … are also Dook 4 Brains Leftists.
Well then its going to be kind of difficult to blaim this Fire Chief’s mean spirited hurtfull “Words are Weapons” words and perverse homertestical advances to the staff on conservatives.
So based on that I, Earl Pitts American, am telling you right now:
Look at this travasty real quick if interested because since the subject matter does absloutly nothing to advance any sort of leftist agenda it will disappear from public view very quickly. Oh lookey there someone’s already holding up the rug to quickly sweep this accidental news release under.
Thank you America,
EPA
Dont Say FLA
August 7, 2023 at 12:12 pm
Local Florida fire chief reportedly engaged in making “racist, sexist and homophobic comments.”
It’s trickle down from Rhonda. This is why it’s bad having folks like Rhonda and Trump making their racist, sexist and homophobic comments.
Locals yocals feel emboldened by the heads of state saying the same garbage the locals think. And then they put their feels into practice, trying to make “the others” feel bad. And then we have murders (faka “lynchings”) like the ones of Ahmaud Arbery and George Floyd happening regularly, again, just like during the Trump years. Nobody wants that but for a minuscule, violent portion of the Maggas, most of whom are currently in prison, but will be out of prison by January 2025 when either Biden or another person that makes “racist, sexist and homophobic comments” is sworn in as President.
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