Enough is Enough
Randy R. Hansen
Sept. 21, 1998
To All Seattle Fire Fighters,
As most everyone knows, I have been a rather ‘hot’ topic on the rumor mill for
the last 18 + months. Also, as most of you know, I’m involved in ongoing litigation
against the city and Chief Sewell and Chief Taylor for their actions toward me in the
course of my employment. And now, as most of you will hear, I am the recipient of a
6-shift suspension for alleged violations of department policy. This discipline is being
appealed to arbitration with the full support and assistance of Local 27.
By appealing Chief Sewell’s recommended discipline, I am obviously not in agreement
with it. What I would like to do here though, is present a condensed chronology of events
leading to his decision. If any of you wishes greater detail I would invite you to contact
me directly and ask what you will. Every item listed below has either been confirmed
through independent investigation, has substantial written documentation, or has sworn
eyewitness testimony corroborating it.
My flyer was randomly faxed to 6-8 stations on April 5, 1997, and an investigation ensued
into its content, and into the use of department equipment.
Capt. Ray Asadi established a meeting with R. Castro, Ch. Evans-Ramos, and Lt. R.
Mondragon for April 10, 1997 at 1200 hours, to discuss and defuse the issue. Lt. Mondragon
canceled the meeting the morning of the 10th and instead, met with Chief Taylor at 1400
hours. I happened to encounter Lt. Mondragon when I was leaving the canceled meeting, and
extended my apologies because he had been offended at my flyer. On the same day, I
extended detailed written apologies to Charles Hawkins, Chair of the Human Relations
Committee, and Interim Chief Taylor.
The flyer was reviewed by one or more of the following city agencies: Office for Civil
Rights, Mayor’s Office, City Attorney’s Office. An opinion was given to Chief
Taylor on or about April 15, 1997 that the flyer was not racist, defamatory, hateful, or
inciting. It was, in essence, free speech and satire.
At this point, I once again extended my apologies to all who were offended in a signed
posting on the Beanery website. On the same day (4/17/97) I met with and extensively
apologized for 3+ hours to the Human Relations Committee, comprised of Charles Hawkins,
Rich Castro, Craig Davillier, Randy Ichyama, and Theresa Purtell.
Chief Taylor issued formal charges April 23, 1997. The charge was for "language which
adversely affects morale or discipline," and consisted of an Official Reprimand - the
maximum penalty for the charged offense. The secondary charge of improper use of
Department equipment was canceled due to evidence that the Hispanic Association’s
flyer had been faxed across Department equipment on two occasions. During the presentation
of charges by Chief Taylor, I again expressed my apologies for any who had been offended.
Between April 24 and May 1, 1997, Lt. Smalls and Lt. Mondragon approached Local 27 and
asked that Local 27 join in their planned media release of May 2, 1997. Local 27 declined
and Paul Harvey discouraged them from carrying through with their planned release.
Chief Taylor, Lt. Smalls, and Lt. Mondragon gave interviews to Linda Keene of the Seattle
Times on or about 4/30 - 5/1. During these and subsequent off-duty interviews, Lt.
Mondragon used the term "racist" in his description of the issue. He identified
me as the author of the document, and stated the document to be racist.
The Seattle Times article came out 5/2/97 - A-Platoon. All the TV stations conducted
interviews with Lt. Smalls and Lt. Mondragon at their respective stations with both
officers authorized to give scheduled interviews in Class B’s. Authorization came
from Chief Taylor.
On May 6 or 7, 1997, Smalls and Mondragon did the KIRO Morning Live TV show while off
duty.
My response was limited to releasing an apology to those who were offended. My
statement was in writing and was released through the PIO.
On May 8, 1997, I conferred with a friend who is a prominent and well respected attorney.
I asked him for assistance in stopping future off-duty defamatory comments by Mondragon.
When asked to send Ron a letter, he advised that it could escalate the situation and
recommended a phone call to "put him on notice that any future statements he makes
may be cause for legal action." At 1628 hours I called from my home to Ron’s
home. My statements to Ron were quoted almost verbatim by Ron in his written notes, which
he has sworn under oath as to their accuracy and completeness. There were no references to
"Lt." Mondragon, or "Capt." Hansen, or on-duty actions, or any
implications whatsoever to the workplace. My advising the possibility of legal action was
for "future statements." There were no derogatory comments of any nature either
quoted in Ron’s notes or claimed later. At 1715 hours the same day I spoke with Chief
Taylor for 30 minutes about his curtailing the on-duty interviews of Ron and Albert, and
also about my call to Ron for his off-duty actions. Chief Taylor expressed no concern
about my having telephoned Ron.
Ron filed an EEO complaint on May 11, 1997, alleging my call to his home caused him to
feel "intimidated, harassed, and threatened." Two investigations have since
taken place, with both investigators (one city EEO investigator, and one private
investigator, hired by the City) supporting Ron’s feelings.
The telephone call is the first of the two incidents that form the basis for Chief
Sewell’s imposing a 6 shift suspension upon me.
The second incident serving as basis for the recommended discipline came about from a
conversation with Capt. Rosenthal wherein I apologized for an alleged 12 year old incident
where I supposedly yelled at Sue; "you’re not my officer, don’t tell me
what to do." I was a firefighter and Sue was a Lieutenant. She never filed a
complaint about it, and only brought it to light during the investigation of my telephone
call to Mondragon.
On April 27, 1998, 2 months after I became aware of Sue’s telling of this 12 year old
incident, I ran into her at the BC’s written exam review at PSCS while off-duty. I
expressed my concerns of this 12 year old incident and apologized to her. Sue never told
the administration of our discussion until I happened to mention it to the investigator
looking into the Mondragon phone call. The investigator mentioned to Chief Sewell that I
had spoken to Sue. He directed her to investigate the matter further as a
"complaint." Chief Sewell notified me that my speaking to Sue was being
investigated, and was the basis of possible new charges. Sue told the investigator my
demeanor was "polite and conciliatory." My apology to Sue is being described as
improper because the first investigation of the Mondragon phone call closed with a letter
from an employee of the City Personnel department stating that I would be "well
advised" to avoid contact with employees in the workplace that could be deemed as
being retaliatory; and an order from Chief Birt not to retaliate against any party or
witness against me in the Mondragon investigation.
To this date, there has been NO complaint filed by Sue Rosenthal pertaining to our
discussion of April 27, 1998. However, Chief Sewell believes that my "polite and
conciliatory" conversation with Sue, who had been interviewed in a prior
investigation about me, was improper and retaliatory.
These are the two reasons -- the Mondragon phone call complaint, and the Rosenthal
conversation non-complaint -- that Chief Sewell has recommended a 6 shift suspension.
Chief Sewell first advised me in writing several weeks ago that he was
"inclined" to impose an 8-shift suspension. Following the obligatory Loudermill
Hearing on September 9, 1998, Chief Sewell reduced this to 6 shifts. In the Loudermill
Hearing, I presented my explanation of these events -- with corroborating evidentiary
documents -- to the Chief for 1 hour so that he could fully understand my point of
view. Nevertheless, discipline has proceeded.
I would like you to also be aware that there have been 2 other EEO complaints lodged
against me since the release of the flyer. The first one by Lt. Mondragon (also on
5/11/97) alleged a history of retaliation and racial/sexual discrimination against
minority and female firefighters; and the second one by Lt. Smalls in April, 1998, alleged
that I created a hostile work environment based on race, and retaliated in the Greenlake
Plaza fire Post Fire Analysis of fall, 1996.
Both have been thoroughly investigated - one of them by two different investigators- and
both have evidently been abandoned as being unsubstantiated — at least they were not
reiterated after I objected to the first investigation and a second inquiry ensued.
In closing, I have heard of numerous rumors about me and numerous comments incorrectly
attributed to me. Of these alleged comments, two are of very great concern: one that
claims that I said female firefighters don’t belong in our department, and the other
that claims that I don’t think minority firefighters are competent. Both of these
alleged sentiments are patently false. I have not said these things, nor do I believe
them. To the contrary, it’s well known that I am an officer who leads by example, who
holds members accountable, who expects professionalism, and whose first and foremost
priority is the safety and education of his crew.
For those who would have you believe that I am after minorities or females in our
department, I will remind you that the only person for whom I have recommended discipline
amounting to suspension or more was both white and male; and he retired in lieu of
accepting discipline.
As I stated in the opening, I would invite anyone seeking greater detail of these issues,
or wishing to know what the documented evidence is supporting my claims, to contact me at
my home.
My desire is to present the facts and, for once, short-circuit the rumor mill. Enough
damage has already been done.
Thank you for taking your time to read this.
(signed)
Randy R. Hansen |
