Dallas Battalion Chief Investigated for Racially Insensitive Posts

A Dallas battalion chief is under internal investigation over social media posts that a city official and at least two firefighters believed were racially insensitive.

The comments by Battalion Chief Allan Springer were made in response to a May 31 to a Facebook user who posted photos of palettes of bricks seen during protests, WFAA-TV reports. The user asked if the bricks had been placed there to incite rioting.

"(W)e need to find out who's behind this and find a good tree to use!" Springer wrote in reply.

Springer's remark sparked a response from the head of the Dallas' firefighters union, according to WFAA.

"Sorry chief but that is unbelievably offensive and inappropriate," Capt. Jim McDade, the president of the Dallas Fire Fighters Association, Local 58, wrote in reply to Springer's comment. "I respect you as a BC and a firefighter but I'm appalled. Feel free to delete me, call me out, or do whatever you want."

Casey Thomas II, a member of the City Council, called Springer's post "distasteful." He wants to see Springer, who is in charge of six fire stations and more than 60 employees, either fired or demoted.

"He has lost any confidence that anyone may have had in his ability to lead," Thomas told WFAA. "It's unacceptable, and we're not going to tolerate it. Treat people the way you want to be treated."

Dallas fire officials were made aware of Springer's comment, and he is currently under investigation by the department's internal affairs division, spokesman Jason Evans. He told WFAA that Springer was still with the department but did not say whether the battalion chief was on leave following the comment.

"As a chief with Dallas Fire-Rescue, you serve citizens of various backgrounds," Capt. Marcus Armstrong, who heads the Dallas Black Fire Fighters Association, said in a statement concerning Springer's comment that was emailed to WFAA. "Due to the diversity of the City of Dallas, there is no place for this kind of bigotry that Chief Springer has displayed. The members of our association feel uncomfortable under his leadership, due to these actions. We are asking Chief (Dominique) Artis and the city manager to demote or terminate Chief Springer from his current position."