Finizio Joins Call For Inquiry Into State Fire Academy
New London mayor concurs with Rep. Ernest Hewett after NAACP forum on Tuesday
Mayor Daryl Finizio has joined the call for a state inquiry into the practices of the Connecticut Fire Academy after attending a forum hosted by the New London Branch of the NAACP on Tuesday.
“When local municipalities make decisions on the retention of fire department recruits, we must rely on information provided to us by the Fire Academy,” Finizio said in a press release. “In the decision reached by the administration not to retain recruit Alfred Mayo, the city of New London relied heavily on data provided by the Fire Academy. At last night’s NAACP forum, I was disturbed to hear numerous former academy recruits explain irregularities at the academy.”
Finizio said he supports Rep. Ernest Hewett's recommendation at the forum that a state inquiry be conducted into the academy's practices and procedures.
The forum was called to discuss concerns about racial matters in the city. Mayo, who was hired as a recruit by the New London Fire Department, went through training at the academy but was terminated two days before its conclusion. Mayo and the NAACP have argued that he was fired for minor infractions, such as the accusation that he wrote the academy class's name in cement, despite having satisfactory test scores. New London has not had an black firefighter since 1978.
According to The Day, two black firefighters from New London said they joined fire departments outside the city after difficulties in their attempts to join the New London Fire Department proved fruitless.
Finizio previously said that he upheld the termination after consulting with Fire Chief Ron Samul, Personnel Coordinator Bernadette Welch, Chief Administrative Officer Jane Glover, and City Council President Pro Tempore Wade Hsylop. He said he also asked to review the test scores, personnel files, the racial makeup of the class and instructors at the state fire academy, and comparisons for individuals sent to the academy from New London from the past decade. At that time, Finizio said the decision to uphold Mayo's termination was made based on “low test scores and other problems in his personnel file.”
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rob
8:08 pm on Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Could someone please look into mayos past and see who he really is and the stuff hes done. He is a good actor,thats for sure!
Lori Hopkins Cavanagh
10:56 am on Saturday, February 25, 2012
rob - Regardless of Mayo's past, he has worked hard, received passing grades and deserved a job in our Fire Department. All of us have a past and all of us have made decisions that do not seem so smart as grown adults. The fact is that racism and lack of diversity in the fire department is glaringly obvious. Mayo reached out to daryl for help and got kicked to the curb. I really do not care if mayo made stupid mistakes in his life. He has chosen a path of great sacrifice and honor and how daryl, Glover and Hyslop treated him was dishonorable and cruel.
Ken
10:12 pm on Wednesday, February 22, 2012
It is great that the mayor is requesting an investigation into the Fire Academy. If the academy is on the "up & up", they should welcome it.
However, it would have been even better if the mayor had investigated the circumstances (and infomation) resulting in Mayo's firing, before firing him.
As it stands now, it looks like the mayer had no faith in the investigation and hiring process done to hire Mayo in the first place--because the mayor relied almost exclusively on info obtained from the fire academy.
If that is the case, then what changes to the hiring process are needed to make it more trustworthy? Surely, no matter how this case turns out, much taxpayer money has been wasted.
Suzanne Cattanach
11:38 pm on Wednesday, February 22, 2012
I don't know why Finzio was, or is, running about looking for test scores of OTHER recruits, he should have started by looking at the ones of the guy he was firing. It is my understanding that Mayo had an 85% average. The reason given to Mayo in a letter signed by Finizio, for the termination was "low test scores" and it would seem that Finizio didn't even bother to look. Did Finizio just take the fire chief's "word" for it that the test scores were "low"? And yet they weren't? And the fire chief announces his retirement...This city probably will let the chief buy his favorite ladder truck for fifty bucks when he leaves.
Lori Hopkins Cavanagh
10:57 am on Saturday, February 25, 2012
Love the ladder truck comment. Miss the dog.
Varnaud
4:01 am on Thursday, February 23, 2012
Mr. Finizio, during your campaign, you spoke often about stemming the discrimination that pervades our society, but as soon as you have an opportunity to actually fix something, you pass the buck to two former mayors, who happen to be black. (The Day article). Why speak now about an investigation into the Fire Academy? It would seem that firing the first black fire recruit that the city's had since 1978, would warrant extreme scrutiny before a descision was made. It's obvious you didn't give this case enough attention. My main fear is that you are NOT the person you represented yourself to be, just to gain votes. The people of NL want REAL CHANGE, not lip service!
John Lynch
8:02 am on Thursday, February 23, 2012
Maybe the Mayor should worry about the City of New London instead of the fire academy. Then you have Hewitt show up, it must be election year. Where was the NAACP when the poor white kid got stab by some black kids that were bored. Man I just love the standard. Plus I have to laugh it looks to me like the Mayor is looking to pass the blame off on someone. Years ago I applied to be a NL fire fighter and was told they were only taking minority apps. I had just gotten discharged from the service. I didn't have anyone come to my aide. I think they had to dummy down the test so all but one could pass.
Stephanie James
9:07 am on Thursday, February 23, 2012
John,
You're comment regarding the murder of Matt Chew is incredibly offensive and borderline racist. What happened was a tragedy and should not be used to make a political point.
Lori Hopkins Cavanagh
11:02 am on Saturday, February 25, 2012
John: You are right, there are double standards and New London has become more racist today than it was when I was younger and marched in Surfer's Drum Corp. half the corp was black and half the corp was white and for the most part every kid was color blind. That is the New London I knew. I despise all racism and what happened to Chew was racist. Stephanie who are you really? John has the conviction to be real and you are either hiding behind a false personna or you were dishonest when you said you own a house on Ocean Ave. There is no one with the last name James that owns a house on Ocean Ave.
Donald M.
12:40 pm on Saturday, February 25, 2012
John,
Perhaps the rest of the readers here who continually shout "racism" about the Fire Department don't know about what you mentioned above, so do tell.
I heard just yesterday, that at a time (I'm not sure when, but certainly within the past 30 years!), NLFD was taking applications for firefighter positions. When caucasion men went to appy, they were told that ONLY minority persons may apply and take the test. When none of the applicants passed, they lowered the test score standard!
Is this true? New London Firefighters, tell YOUR story! Do the posters here believe that ANYONE should be awarded a position because of the color of their skin anymore than they should be fired because of the same? All of this is simply absurd! NLFD knew Mr. Mayo's skin color before they sent him to the accadamy. You simple-minded posters would like people to believe that a few days before graduation, that Chief Samuel and Mayor Finizio sat down and said "Oh my goodness, he's black. Let's fire him." Rediculous. Simply rediculous. Before continuing to spout your nonsense, perhaps you might stop into the New London fire stations and speak to the firefighters. Start with the African American man, the Latinos and the Philippino. You just might be enlightened.
Stephanie James
9:16 am on Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Lori,
It is in my husband's name, not mine, which is why there is no person with the last name "James" on Ocean Ave.
I also find it incredibly disturbing that you would actually search for me on Ocean Ave.
This comment, however, is still incredibly insensitive. To throw around accusations or use the murder of a young man as a way to make a political point is wrong on many levels.
Richard Cranium
8:15 am on Thursday, February 23, 2012
If the Mayor suspect's there's an issue, he should start by hiring Mayo or he can wait for the law suit that Mayo will win, get his job and a pile of taxpayers money for the treatment he was put through.
rob
9:02 am on Thursday, February 23, 2012
I agree with John Lynch, must be election year for Hewitt. You have been in City Polictics for many years. What has he, Hyslop, Glover, Diane Lother(ex black Personnel Director), Keith Harrigan(ex black assistant manager) done for the minorities in this city????? This just didn't happen over night folks. They were at the swearing in for these new members. Guess you should have done something more than just hide.
Remember ONE thing!!!! The fire department does not do the HIRING!!!!!!!! The personnel department does. If Hewitt was interested in making changes, he and the other minority councilors, directors should have made changes years ago. Do not call the New London Firefighters or their Chief racists. That is unfair. Once Mayo is investigated, I'm sure there will be more to HIS story and Hewitt, Mayo and the NAACP will be embarrassed for the improper accusations that they have made to the Brave Men and Women of the NLFD. And yes, there are minorities on the fire department now, hispanics, black, phillipine, or do they not count?
And isn't Mayo's mother white?? So which box do you check off when your asked your race?
William Desmond
8:39 am on Tuesday, February 28, 2012
My guess is that since Mayor Finizio has now jumped on the bandwagon to attack the fire academy his next move might will be to hire Mr. Mayo as a New London Fire Fighter. Who wants to place bets on that? If he does that then the mayor will look like an even bigger fool who caved into pressure from the media and NAACP. If the mayor was just and right in the decision to terminate and now hires Mr. Mayor then the mayor is proven to be more of a flip flopper than Rob Pero ever was (a hard thing to achieve in under 3 months). What will the mayors reasoning be if he hires Mr. Mayo. I guess he will blame Chief Samul, the Glovers, Jane & Wade for giving him bad information and guidance. Will he hold them accountable or will he just keep them around. There is no clean way out of this for the mayor or his cronies, except perhaps move to Rhode Island and become a republican.
I guess Hewett and Finizio are now buddies fighting together for justice for the little man. A dynamic duo making New London better and more diverse.
Tim
5:27 pm on Tuesday, April 24, 2012
If the kid was white and got fired nobody would even bat an eye at this.
Thomas Cornick
6:13 pm on Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Had he been the new guy at a horse farm his boots would have been filled with road apples, or the new guy in a garage perhaps grease. Whining about finding his boots filled with water just shows his true nature. These are the things that are always done just before your peers decide if you are going to be accepted and it really makes no difference if hazing is legal or not this is human nature and male bonding in the blue collar world and a test he failed among his fellow fire academy students.
When your butt is on the line do you really want to trust a cry-baby to cover your back?
This said, I have never met the man nor worked along side of him and my opinion is formed from the back and forth of news articles which portray the man wronged or not as a wuss.