Fire Critic An Unadulterated View of the Fire Service
A Firefighter is under scrutiny, a village is in an uproar, and the village council is offering an interesting reason for allowing a registered child sex offender to be a firefighter. Registered, convicted, guilty…whatever you call it. This guy actually did 15 years in lock-up for pleading guilty to “attempted rape”. At the time of the crime he was a Boy Scout Leader.
Gulp… I know some of you are thinking we are beating a dead horse…The fact is that some people think it is ok, others not.
You heard that right. The Village of Bainbridge was moving to allow a convicted/registered child sex offender to be a firefighter, offering him probationary status until the State approves his re-certification. Once the community found out they went to council. As the guys round my way would say Katy-Bar-The-Door.
One interesting argument is that some feel as though criminals who have done the crime and done the time are good to go. I always thought that was an interesting argument. I understand what they are saying, but should they really be firefighters? Would you want a convicted sex offender working at Chucky Cheese, your childs school, or driving a school bus? Probably not…Then why in the world should they be allowed to be firefighters.
This debate will get interesting. I can’t even see the felons who think they should be allowed to be firefighters fighting for this guy.
Angry parents packed a council meeting wanting to know why a registered child sex offender is on the volunteer fire department. It was standing room only Tuesday night at the Bainbridge Village Council meeting. Mayor Rocky Countryman fielded questions and concerns from parents sounding off after finding out registered sex offender Eric Palmer was a volunteer firefighter for the Bainbridge Volunteer Fire Department. Countryman says council unanimously voted to allow Palmer to join the department under probationary status until the state approves his re-certification. Palmer was convicted in 1995 after pleading guilty of attempted rape in Clermont County. Read more
I have written a little bit on this topic in the past…
- Should Felons be allowed to be Firefighters?
- Should Sex Offenders Be Firefighters? What about Pardoned ones?
- Felons as Firefighters…They Keep Proving My Point That It IS NOT a Good Idea!
- Felons As Firefighters? New York State Law Aims to Stop Employment Discrimination Against Ex-Cons. FDNY Considers Hiring Felons
- Using Inmates as Firefighters…Camden County, GA Inmate Firefighting Program is a JOKE
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