Lack of diversity â claims of department racism, sexual assault; Sacramento fire chief responds
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Updated: 8:25 AM PST Mar 13, 2021
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Updated: 8:25 AM PST Mar 13, 2021
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REPORTER: -- >> IT WAS A LONELY EXPERIENCE, NOT GOING TO LIE. REPORTER: THIS FIREFIGHTER AND PARAMEDIC, FOR 17 YEARS, RETIRING FROM STRESS INTO THOUSAND 17. -- IN 2017. SHE SAYS DISCRIMINATION WAS PART OF THE CULTURE. SHE SAYS SHE EXPERIENCED IT FIRSTHAND. AS AN INTERN, SHE WAS TIED TO A LIFT BASKET. >> I COULDNâT MOVE, I COULDNâT GET OUT ONCE I WAS TIED IN. I WILL SECURED TO THE TIP OF THE LADDER TRUCK AND RACED TO THE TOP OF THE FIRE STATION. IT WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF SUMMER. IT WAS A HOT DAY. THEY UNLATCHED ME AND LEFT ME UP THERE FOR ABOUT 30 MINUTES. REPORTER SHE REPORTED THE INCIDENT TO HER SUPERIORS. BUT THE RETIRED FIREFIGHTER AND CURRENT FSD EMPLOYEE TOLD KCRA 3 INVESTIGATES THE PROCESS IS INTIMIDATING. I MET WITH THE SACRAMENT OF FIRE CHIEF TO TALK ABOUT THE ALLEGATIONS. >> ALL I CAN SAY HIS, SINCE IâVE BEEN HERE, IF THAT SAME THING WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION, THEY WOULD IMMEDIATELY BE INVESTIGATED. REPORTER: THE CHIEF JOINT IN THE DEPARTMENT INTO THOUSAND 18. HE SAYS HE IS AWARE OF THE CURRENT CLIMATE, ALLEGATIONS OF DISCRIMINATION, AND LACK OF ACCOUNT ABILITY. -- ACCOUNTABILITY. >> IT IS MY RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE THAT IS CHANGED. IF THEY HADNâT BROUGHT IT FORWARD TO ME, I WOULD THINK EVERYTHING IS OK, AND BEASTLY EVERYTHING IS NOT OK. THIS IS JUST PART OF THE CHALLENGE FOR ME TO HANDLE. REPORTER: MORE FROM THE CHIEF, IN A FEW MINUTES. >> UP UNTIL PLENTY TIMES, THE REASON I THOUGHT I WAS HIRED IS BECAUSE I WAS BLACK. I WOULD TELL THEM, I AM A COLLEGE GRADUATE, I AM OVERQUALIFIED FOR THIS JOB. REPORTER: THIS 26 YEAR SFD VETERAN WANTS TO SEE IMPROVEMENT IN DIVERSITY BOTH IN GENDER AND RACE. ONE OF HIS RECOMMENDATIONS IS TO REINSTATE THE STUDENT INTERNSHIP PROGRAM, CUT DURING THE GREAT RECESSION OF 2008. >> THEREâS NO FUNDING. THEY DIDNâT FUND IT. WHY WOULDNâT YOU BRING BACK OE OF YOUR MOST SUCCESSFUL PROGRAMS? IT BROUGHT WOMEN INTO THE DEPARTMENT. IT BROUGHT AFRICAN-AMERICANS INTO THE DEPARTMENT, BURGESS, CHIEF WILLIAMS -- ALL FROM THE INTERNSHIP PROGRAM. YOU KNOW? WHY WOULDNâT YOU BRING THAT BACK? REPORTER: BUTLER ALSO WANTS TO EXPAND THE RECRUITMENT ARM. >> IN ONE OF OUR RECOMMENDATIONS IS TO RECRUIT THE MILITARY, RECRUIT UNIVERSITY AND COLLEGES. START OFF AND GO AND CAPTURE THESE KIDS IN HIGH SCHOOL AND BRING THEM ALONG. YOU KNOW? IF WE GO TO COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES AND RECRUIT THEIR ATHLETIC DEPARTMENTS, NOT ONLY CAN WE GET QUALIFIED MINORITIES, WE CAN GET QUALIFIED WOMEN. REPORTER: A RECENT SURVEY FOUND AS OF 2020, JUST 3% OF THE DEPARTMENTâS 657 EMPLOYEES ARE BLACK. AND MADE UP OF 10% FEMALES. THAT 10% IS MORE THAN DOUBLE THE NATIONAL AVERAGE. WE ALSO REACHED OUT TO THE FIREFIGHTER CANDIDATE TESTING CENTER IPHONE AND EMAIL. THE DEPARTMENT CONTRACTS FORWARDS APPLICANTS. THEY PROVIDE THEM WITH A LIST OF QUALIFIED PEOPLE FROM ALL ACROSS THE STATE. HEREâS A SNAP OF WHAT THEY SENT US. CANDIDATES ON THE STATEWIDE ELIGIBILITY LIST FOR MARCH 11TH. 95% MALE. 5% FEMALE. 4% BLACK. 5% ASIAN. 29% HISPANIC. WHAT IS THE -- WHAT IS THE FSD DOING TO IMPROVE DIVERSITY? >> I WILL REVAMP THE SYSTEM HERE AND WORK ON THE DIVERSITY OF THIS DEPARTMENT. THE ACTUALLY GO HAND-IN-HAND. REPORTER: IT STARTS WITH THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS. >> I HEAR EVERYBODY SAY THAT WE DONâT REPRESENT OUR COMMUNITY. SO, WHAT BETTER WAY FOR ME TO REPRESENT THE COMMUNITY BUT LIMIT WHO I AM GOING TO HIRE TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO JUST CITIZENS OF SACRAMENTO? THERE WERE TWO CRISES WERE HIGHER UNDER MY LEADERSHIP. THE FIRST CLASS THAT CAME IN WAS 20% DIVERSE. THE VERY FOLLOWING CLASS WE INCREASED IT TO 30%. THE CURRENT CLASS THAT I HAVE BEEN NOW FOR 2021 IS N 37% DIVERSITY RATE. REPORTER: CHANGES INCLUDE REIMAGINING THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR EQUITY AND DIVERSITY, ADDING NUCLEAR RESOURCE OFFICER SO FIREFIGHTERS CAN FEEL COMFORTABLE TO REPORT ANY ISSUES THEY ARE GOING THROUGH, BRING BACK THE INTERNSHIP PROGRAM, AND HIRING CHANGES SET TO INCREASE ACCESS TO THE PROFESSION FOR UNDERREPRESENTED GROUPS. >> WHY DID I TAKE THIS JOB? BECAUSE ITâS A CHALLENGE. I WANT TO BE PART OF THE ANSWER. REPORTER: THE CHIEF IS SERIOUS ABOUT CHANGE, AND THEREâS SOMETHING HE CAN DO RIGHT NOW. >> WE HAVE A CHIEF POSITION OPEN , AND WE ARE GOING THROUGH THE HIRING PROCESS RIGHT NOW. TO MAKE, IF THE FIRE CHIEF IS SERIOUS ABOUT DIVERSITY AND EQUITY WITHIN HIS RANKS, I WOULD SAY, WHY DONâT YOU START WITH YOUR COMMAND STAFF? THEREâS AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN CANDIDATE AND THEREâS A FEMALE CANDIDATE IN THERE, HIRE EITHER ONE OF THOSE. SHOW WAS YOU WERE SERIOUS ABOUT DIVERSITY AND EQUITY. -- SHOW US YOU ARE SERIOUS ABOUT DIVERSITY AND EQUITY. BOTH OF THEM ARE QUALIFIED. BOTH OF THEM ARE 30 PLUS YEARS ON THE DEPARTMENT. REPO