TAMPA, FL—When former Mayor Bob Buckhorn chose Nick LoCicero to be Tampa’s Fire Chief in the final year of his tenure, he said he was reaching into a “deep bench” of department veterans to make his hire.
But Buckhorn also said it would up to the next mayor whether to retain him.
That decision appears to have been made public by Mayor Jane Castor. On Tuesday, Castor thanked the 35-year veteran for his service.
“Chief LoCicero served his community well for 35 years and we thank him for his service and commitment to keeping our community safe,” Castor said in a statement.
After being under a cloud during an administrative leave of six months while under investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, LoCicero submitted his notice of retirement to the city early last month.
“After 42 years in the fire service and the last 35 years with the city of Tampa and Tampa Fire Rescue, please accept this letter of retirement as of close of business today,” LoCicero wrote to city Human Resources director Kelly Austin on May 7. “I have been privileged to work for and beside the best firefighters in the country. Please know that I have been proud to protect the citizens of Tampa.”
LoCicero has been cleared of any wrongdoing in the affair, Castor’s office confirmed Tuesday morning after an inquiry from the Tampa Bay Times.
Tamme informed the city of her retirement the morning of a scheduled May 27 meeting with city officials.
Tamme sent an email to Fire Personnel Chief Todd Alt asking for help navigating her immediate retirement logistics. Normally, she said, she would figure out her benefits in person or “on the city site.”
“But, of course, things are not normal. And I do not have the ability to do either,” Tamme wrote.
On Tuesday, the mayor’s office released the following statement to the Times:
“During the internal investigation, Susan Tamme who was being investigated due to lack of supervisory oversight made the decision to take a longevity retirement,” the statement read.
Training officer John Muralt was disciplined for incompetence in his handling of timecards at the Tampa Fire Rescue training facility.
His city disciplinary notice, which informed him of his demotion from captain, described an incompetent use of time management first brought to the city’s attention by the Hillsborough County School District.
“To date, the criminal investigation has not found evidence of misconduct rising to the level of criminality. However, a review of the evidence that has been discovered clearly demonstrates a level of incompetence and mismanagement of time, funds and resources of the city of Tampa, Tampa Fire Rescue and the Hillsborough County School District, which is unacceptable,” wrote interim chief Barbara Tripp on May 26.
Castor’s office released LoCicero’s letter, along with other documents, late Friday afternoon.
Tripp has been praised by City Council members and administration officials since she took over as interim chief in November. As of Tuesday morning, that was still her title as listed in a news release for a hurricane preparedness event later today.
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