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Police probe Fire Department

Copyright 2004 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
April 29, 2004 Thursday Home Edition

The Atlanta Fire Department is under criminal investigation by the city's Police Department because of "situations that are inappropriate" in its fire safety inspections, Fire Chief Dennis Rubin said Wednesday.
"It's going to be a big scandal," said Rubin, who suspects criminal activity in the department. "I wish it weren't, but the only thing I can do is clean up the mess that was left me."

Rubin has locked up the department's inspection records in the meantime "to eliminate the potential of any files being tampered with," he said.



Rubin, who became fire chief in December, said he requested the police investigation because of "anomalies I found and some information I uncovered" about fire safety inspections. Rubin characterized the investigation as broad but declined to provide details. "I've asked the police to cast the biggest net they can," he said.
The police investigation already was under way, Rubin said, when he discovered last week that Turner Field had been operating without fire safety permits since it opened in 1997.

"It's a separate issue that I'm chasing after," Rubin said. "It is not Turner Field."

He said, "When the Turner Field situation showed up, I just found that as another anomaly."

Greg Hughes, spokesman for the Braves, said the police investigation "doesn't involve us. . . . We're not a part of it in any way."

Police officers conducting the investigation were unavailable for comment Wednesday. Sgt. John Quigley, spokesman for the Police Department, said information from Rubin prompted the investigation. Quigley said he couldn't comment on the scope of the investigation or details.

While Turner Field went without fire safety inspections, the city fire marshal, who oversaw inspections citywide, and a colleague who until last fall was responsible for inspecting the stadium were moonlighting for the Braves at the ballpark.

The first fire safety inspection on record took place in February and revealed 61 violations of the city's fire code at Turner Field. A subsequent inspection in March listed 108 violations. As of April 21, all violations at the stadium had been corrected, Rubin said.

No officials have suggested that the stadium, which can seat slightly more than 50,000 fans, is unsafe or recommended that it be shut down.

Nathaniel Grissom, the city's former fire marshal, and Liz Summers, director of fire safety education, had been working part time at Turner Field for years. Grissom, 55, abruptly retired Monday after being stripped of the title of fire marshal last week. He had worked at the Fire Department for 31 years. Grissom and Summers, who has worked at the Fire Department for 26 years, did not return calls Wednesday.

Rubin said he was continuing an internal investigation into Grissom's role at Turner Field.

Rubin also said this week that some fire safety inspectors had resented Grissom's and Summers' apparent lock on extra employment at Turner Field. Some had complained, though not directly to Rubin, "that they got knocked out of some of the gravy," Rubin said.

"They wanted it to be fair," he said.

Under a policy Rubin announced last week, senior fire officials are barred from "any fire safety-related extra job." Only people with the rank of captain or below may work extra jobs.

Also last week, Rubin appointed Barry Dodson, who has run the city's fire academy since 1996, to take over as fire marshal. The city fire marshal oversees fire safety inspections, code enforcement and fire prevention education.

Rubin worked as city manager in Dothan, Ala., before coming to Atlanta. He also has served as fire chief in Norfolk, Va., and has trained firefighters at universities and the National Fire Academy in Maryland.

The department has 17 fire safety inspectors for the city and four for the airport. Inspectors are responsible for about 12,000 commercial buildings a year.

Mayor Shirley Franklin would not comment Wednesday on the police investigation.

Councilman Lamar Willis, chairman of the city's public safety committee, said: "It is an unfortunate turn of events. I would hope that city employees who are doing things not consistent with city policy would stop --- with as many employees as we have seen carted off in the last couple of years."

Staff writer Ernie Suggs contributed to this article.