Denver FD's Second-in-Command Named Interim Chief

The Denver Fire Department’s second-in-command will become interim chief while a permanent hire is sought.

Deputy Chief Todd Bower became interim chief on Monday and will hold the position until a new hire is made, the city announced Monday.

Bower will replace Fire Chief Eric Tade, who announced his resignation last month amid controversy stemming from two consecutive annual firefighters’ balls that featured sexual innuendo and lewd humor.

• RELATED: Denver Chief Resigns after Sexually Charged FFs Event

Tade will step down from his position on March 16, Kelli Christensen, spokeswoman for the Denver Department of Public Safety, said. Bower and Tade will work together for the next week to prepare for the transition, she said.

Tade will remain with the department and return to the rank of assistant chief once he steps down.

Bower joined the Denver Fire Department in 1993 as a firefighter, according to a city news release. He rose through the ranks and has worked as the deputy chief since 2010. Bower also has a Master of Business Administration and a law degree.

The city does not have a timeline for hiring a new permanent chief, Christensen said.

Bower was one of six Denver Fire employees named as defendants in a lawsuit alleging a female fire captain had been fired in retaliation for filing a sexual discrimination complaint. The city paid $975,000 to settle the lawsuit with Colley Fisher. Tade was also named in the lawsuit.

The top positions in the Denver Sheriff Department and the Denver Department of Public Safety are also filled with interim leaders.

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