Racially Charged MI Fire Station Display Leads to Probe

ANN ARBOR, MI—Racially motivated bullying was suspected after Ann Arbor Fire Chief Michael Kennedy walked into a station on June 18 and saw a 12-inch-long black action figure spinning from the ceiling fan.

It was attached with zip-ties and in a “Superman" flying pose, the chief said.

“I ordered the action figure to be removed from the fan immediately and learned the action figure had been named after an African-American AAFD firefighter,” Kennedy told The Ann Arbor News/MLive in an email. “The next day ... it was immediately decided that an investigation was warranted regarding possible violations of the city of Ann Arbor’s anti-Harassment policy."

Kennedy said that while no one had complained about the action figure, its presence “could be interpreted as bullying or harassment, depending on the individual, and that is why it is important for employees to understand and fully comply with our policies.”

He said due to the race of the targeted firefighter, and the portrayed race of the action figure, the incident could be perceived as racially based harassment.

“There is a long history in the United States of African Americans being represented in cartoons, effigies or in theater in unflattering and cartoonish ways for the comic relief of white audiences,” Kennedy said. “While this action figure in and of itself may not be problematic, its use in this instance to provide comic relief for a small number of our firefighters at the specific expense of an African American fire fighter created very problematic parallels to this history and represented decision-making by some of our employees that is deeply culturally unaware.”

The ensuing four-month investigation, which included 30 employee interviews, concluded on Oct. 7 with at least one high-ranking fireman opting to retire, Kennedy said, and other firefighters may face yet-to-be-determined disciplinary action.

“We are working through the due process that is afforded employees covered under a collective bargaining agreement,” Kennedy said. “We are hopeful the disciplinary process will conclude in the next 30 days. Until then, we do not have further information to provide.”

The investigation was focused on a single shift of firefighters who work out of Station 1, 111 N. Fifth Ave.

The chief has not disclosed whether use of the action figure in the station was an one-time incident or an ongoing occurrence. He said there are no photos of the figure available.

City Councilwoman Jane Lumm said she hadn’t been notified of the investigation and planned to contact the Ann Arbor city attorney’s office for more information.

MLive requested and is awaiting comment from union representative and other elected city officials. MLive also attempted to contact the firefighter for whom the doll was named, but he couldn’t immediately be reached.

Ann Arbor has 72 firefighters and has had difficulty raising its number of minority employees.

The city reported in 2018 that about 6 percent of Ann Arbor’s police and firefighters were black.

Ann Arbor City Council last month voted to hire a consultant for $161,000 to develop a diversity and equity plan focused on increasing the numbers of minority employees in the city.

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