Rochester firefighter Jerrod Jones took to the steps of city hall to claim his captain took him to a party that mocked Juneteenth and county leaders.
Jones, a Black man and 14-year veteran of RFD, says on July 7 Captain Jeffrey Krywy forced him and two other subordinates to accompany him to a private party during their shift.
RochesterFirst.com reported that upon arrival, Jones says he noticed a large cutout of former President Donald Trump along with two large Juneteenth celebration flags propped up on the lawn not far from buckets of Kentucky Fried Chicken.
Juneteenth is a holiday that celebrates the emancipation of enslaved African-Americans.
Jones said he tried to handle the manner through proper channels in the department, but was not satisfied with the results.
The Rochester Fire Department Chief issued a statement on Thursday calling accusations against the behavior of the fire captain "serious" and "unacceptable."
Rochester Fire Chief Felipe Hernandez issued the following statement in advance of the news conference.
"The City of Rochester immediately initiated an internal investigation when a City firefighter raised a complaint of employee misconduct by his supervisor. The allegations are serious, and the behavior described is unacceptable and an affront to everyone who works with the RFD and in City Hall. The administration moved swiftly in adherence with Civil Service requirements. The investigation has concluded, and the disciplinary action was sent to the supervisor this week. The supervisor remains on suspension until the action been received and accepted. This remains an active personnel matter, so we cannot comment further."
