A Wichita Fire Department supervisor who texted a photo of himself wearing a sweater featuring a controversial image, has been suspended for three days without pay.
The message was discovered during an investigation of inappropriate group texts shared by members of the Wichita Police Department and Sedgwick County Sherriff’s office, but wasn’t part of that batch of texts.
Another fire supervisor was also disciplined for sending a manuapulated image.
Fire Chief Tammy Snow said she is “deeply disappointed” in the two supervisors, who had previously served as medics on the SWAT team. They have both returned to work.
Stephanie Yeager, the business manager for the local branch of the union that represents the firefighters said she thinks the city is trying to “make an example” out of the first supervisor, who was originally given a reprimand, because the police department was criticized for giving light punishments to its implicated officers. A committee appointed by the Wichita city manager issued a report in April saying department leaders didn’t adequately discipline police department members.
The interim police chief, Lemuel Moore, could give additional punishment to police officers. He has forwarded his recommendations to the city’s legal department.