Fire Chief’s Ouster Still Big Topic at Council Meeting

The recent reassignment of Pasadena Fire Chief Bertral Washington once again was a hot topic at the City Council meeting on Monday night, with representatives of the International Association of Black Professional Fire Fighters joining a couple of dozen of Washington’s family, friends, supporters and former colleagues in calling his ouster unjust and pushing for his reinstatement.

Leaders of the IABPFF traveled from Las Vegas and as far away as St. Louis to voice their support for the deposed Pasadena fire chief – joining a call led over the past few weeks by the Pasadena NAACP, among others.

It was the third straight council meeting at which Washington’s reassignment was a dominant element of public comments.

This time, Washington’s supporters also came equipped with buttons to show their support and solidarity. The buttons – bearing a picture of the former chief, in uniform, framed by an American flag image — were distributed before the meeting by Ingrid Day, the cousin of Washington’s wife.

The supporters who gathered at City Hall on Monday night again pushed for answers behind why, last month, Washington — one of the highest-ranking African-Americans in the city — was suddenly and unexpectedly reassigned by City Manager Steve Mermell to Mermell’s office.

Vice Mayor Tyron Hampton on Monday night said that, regarding that question, “There still has not been any clarity.’’

One of the supporters on hand Monday night, Addington C. Stewart, a St. Louis fire chief who is president of the IABPFF, went so far as to say, “If we don’t have an answer about this, the people responsible for not providing the answers should be terminated.”

Washington was reassigned to Mermell’s office on Feb. 10 – officially, to perform work on the city’s Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) program.

But at the time, Allen Edson, president of the NAACP, issued a statement saying he viewed the move “suspiciously,” and that, “It has also been reported to the NAACP by local sources of workplace harassment of Chief Washington by the Pasadena Firefighters Association.”

According to Edson, “The Pasadena NAACP membership is extremely disappointed with the lack of transparency and the lack of empathy for all of the community of Pasadena. Mermell’s decision-making on public safety has come [in]to question.”

Both Hampton and fellow Councilman John J. Kennedy have said the move was made without consultation with the City Council and without council members being given reasons.

Mermell and City Attorney Michele Bagneris have declined to discuss the reasons behind the move during the open session, citing confidentiality reasons regarding city employees.

Washington himself has been publicly silent on the matter.

But over the past three council meetings, he has had plenty of vocal support, and that continued Monday night.

David Washington, no relation to Bertral, a former fire chief of Las Vegas – where he commanded with Bertral Washington before Bertral Washington took the chief’s job in Pasadena – lauded Bertral Washington’s credentials.

He called him “a family man” and “a man of faith” and said he promoted Bertral Washington several times when they worked together.

“Why did I promote him, you might ask? Associate’s degree, bachelor’s degree, master’s degree – that’s just his education,’’ David Washington said. “Now, when you look for a fire chief – and I’ve been on selection panels for fire chiefs – you look for integrity, you look for honesty. Those type of attributes Bertral Washington has without a doubt.’’

He also praised Washington’s accomplishments while in the chief’s role in Pasadena.

“When Bertral came to your city, you guys were not a Class 1 operation as a fire department – that’s ISO, Insurance Service Office, they rate fire departments on their training, their dispatch, their water supply, etc., etc.

“He is a very solid individual with great credentials, and it is sad to see the things that are going on. … I think it’s just shameful, and I think you guys should give some consideration to this jewel that you have.’’

Stewart, of St. Louis and the IABPFF, said he’s been a colleague of Washington for over 25 years, “which turned into a friendship of an honorable man that’s being disrespected in the city of Pasadena.’’

“He has two teen-age children – there appears to be no empathy for that,’’ Stewart said. “That is unconscionable. He uprooted his family from Las Vegas and brought them here to Pasadena. … That is unconscionable what we’re doing in Pasadena.’’

Stewart went on to say, “I sent a letter to the city manager and the city mayor and council members … Of course, the response was, we can’t talk about it. That’s unfortunate.’’

For his part, Kennedy cited Pasadena as “one of only 45 of 30,052 fire departments in the United States that are both ISO Class 1 and accredited by the Center of Public Safety Excellence.”

“In the state of California, only four fire departments have achieved both distinguished results – that’s under Bertral Washington’s watch,’’ Kennedy said.

Kennedy added, “Bert is invested in this community, and I am limited in what I can say beyond that.’’

According to Edson, the NAACP will continue to rally members and community allies to attend council meetings on Washington’s behalf.

Monday, Hampton addressed the chief’s supporters by saying, “I hope that you continue to come back.’’

The response from the crowd was applause and shouts of, “We will!”